Ib Lost in Dreamland
by musicstarnc
Summary: It's been three years since Ib and Garry escaped the gallery, Garry's and Ib's lives had returned to normal. But, when Mary gives Ib a mysterious omen before dissapearing from her new prison, things start taking a turn for scary again. Can Ib and Garry escape the hidden world in the carnival? And while they're at it it can they remove the Guertena family's curse?
1. A Long Awaited Reunion

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

Chapter 1

A long Awaited Reunion

Ib sat under a giant oak tree wating with a huge smile plastered to her face. _Finally, _she thought excitedly. It had been three years since Ib and Garry had escaped the fabricated world together . Three years since Mary had been reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash. But most improtantly, three years since Ib and Garry had parted ways with only a promise to once again be reunited. Today she would finally have her handkecheif returned to her.

She would never say it aloud to anyone that hadn't gone through that hell with her, but she still awoke with nightmares. She dreamt of being chased by paintings, brutally murdered by headless statues, being eaten alive by maniquens, being trapped there forever and she woke up screaming for help everytime. That wasn't the strangest though. The most recurring dream was with Mary. Not her burning or chasing Ib and Garry with a palette knife through a world that looked as though it was drawn by a three year old. She dreamt of being in Mary's place. Being nothing more than a painting forced to remain in a world like that forever. Watching real people come and go but never being able to leave herself. Ib never woke screaming from those dreams, she woke in tears.

Those weren't the only dreams of Mary though. She appeared in different dreams. Mary only talked to her here. They had started a year or so after Ib escaped the gallery with Garry. It was strange though: Mary changed in these dreams. She was happier, she had finally gotten out of that world too. She was grateful to Ib for being burned. As of late though, she had started to realize that she was once again imprisoned in a place where she couldn't escape. Her personality wasn't the only thing that changed. Mary's looks had changed. Mary got taller, her hair grew longer, her outfits became different. Ib remembered a fairly strange one where Mary was dressed like a cat, athough that one had been on halloween. On most occasions Mary asked about the real world and Ib explained what she could to her. Sometimes though, Mary came bearing a warning for Ib. At first, Ib didn't trust Mary and was scared that she was still able to contact her. But if it hadn't been for Mary, Ib might be dead.

The first time Mary had delivered a warning Ib's family was going to a fancy restaurant for dinner and Ib had fallen asleep trying to finish her math homework. She dreamt of Mary who warned her not to go. Ib managed to convince her parents to order pizza instead. Later, on the news Ib and her family learned that the restaurant had caught fire an hour before. Mary had saved Ib and her family's lives. In the dreams Mary and Ib sat atop a hill overlooking a meadow filled with yellow roses. Mary always smiled as they talked on the regular topics of what went on in Ib's life. Even things like school made Mary's face light up. Ib had asked why Mary appeared to change in the dream but even Mary didn't know the answer. The two of them had become friends.

Ib's only warning today was from her parents. If she wasn't home by three o'clock she would be grounded for the remainder of spring break.

Ib allowed her thoughts to happily drift to a couple of days ago, when she bumped into Garry. She had been walking home from school dreading all of the homework she would have to do that night. As she walked past the art store she bumped into someone walking out the door.

"I... I'm so sorry!" She stammered picking up a new sketchpad and some charcoal pencils that were rolling into the street.

"Ib?" She recognized that voice. Ib looked up and saw Garry sitting on the ground across from her smiling like an idiot. After picking up all of Garry's stray art supplies Ib had squeezed him until he couldn't breathe anymore. The two of them had made plans to meet on the first saturday of spring break in the center of Memory Park at noon. It had happened almost a week ago but Ib remembered it like it was yesterday.

Ib checked herself over once again from head to toe. Her chocolate brown hair fell over her shoulder in a braid. She wore a simple light blue dress that fell to her knees and had a white scarf tied underneath the collar. A matching cropped white jacket with short puffy sleeves adorned the outfit. She had on a pair of strappy white sandals. Tucked in her hair was a red rose. She pulled a mirror out of her white over-the-shoulder bag that had been emboidered with a red rose in the bottom left-hand corner. Ib made absolutely certain she looked perfect and put the mirror away.

Ib looked at the large clock in the center of the park. It was almost 12:30! Ib stood and looked around for any sign of Garry. After looking around for five minutes she sat back down, dissapointed. She rummaged through her bag, looking for something to do. In her bag was $20 for lunch, a small mirror, her cellphone (which she now carried with her at all times), and a bottle of water. Gently, she touched the petals of her red rose. This was the same rose from three years ago. It hadn't died or even started wilting. If a petal fell off all Ib had to do was put the rose in water. It had sat in a vase beside her bed on a nightstand. The only thing that shared it's space was Ib's alarm clock.

"Ib!"

Ib turned toward the sound of Garry's voice. He wore a simple yellow T-shirt and jeans. He had on a light spring green jacket with a blue rose in the lapel.

Ib smiled. "Hi, garry!" She stood and waved. Then she pulled her bag over her head and onto her shoulders.

"It's been such a long time! You got so tall! Sorry, I'm late!" Garry said excitedly when he reached her.

"It's okay" Ib promised. the two of them hugged.

"So how've you been?" Garry asked, still smiling happily since he was once agained reunited with Ib.

"Fine. I still have nightmares though" Ib admitted, a light blush spreading on her cheeks.

"Me too. Those creepy dolls still haunt me to this day" Garry said, chills running down his spine. "Ib, I believe this is yours" Garry produced Ib's handkercheif from his pocket.

Ib took the hankercheif from him almost instantly noticing that it was tied around something. She undid the slight knot revealing a piece of candy. It was a peppermint with stripes as red as Ib's face. She smiled, hoping her blushing wasn't as bad as she thought. "Thank you."

"You're very wlecome, Ib. Say are you hungry?" Asked Garry, his smile unfaltering.

"Starving" Ib replied.

"Then follow me, there's a cafe not too far from here that sells the best macaroons" said Garry, taking Ib's hand in his own.

"You didn't forget anything you promised me so long ago, did you?" Ib asked, raising her eyebrows.

"How could I? Meeting you was one of the only highlights from that gallery" Garry replied and they walked, hand in hand, toward the cafe. They walked along the sidewalk for a couple of minutes, stopping at a crosswalk. Garry let Ib press the button. A standing red man flashed on a screen atop the pole. "I would have been here earlier but I missed the bus and had to walk" Garry explained.

The two of them ran across the street as the man changed to a flashing green man walking. They turned a corner and stopped at a small cafe. Garry held open the door for Ib and they picked a table by the window. The place smelled of coffee and pastries. Garry pulled out the chair for Ib, pushed her back in, and walked to the front counter. He returned minutes later with a coffee for himself, a hot chocolate for Ib and two plates of macaroons.

Ib bit into one with a light pink filling. The macaroon was heavanly. The filling tasted like strawberries and the outer pastry was warm and flaky. "Mmmmm..." Ib sighed.

Garry giggled. "Glad you like it."

Ib told Garry about her life. How she simply despised her math teacher, Mr. Greene, because he had made a habit of calling her Eve, since her name sounded so similar. She also told him about her friend Stacie who had alot of classes with her and had been Ib's friend since kindergarten. Garry, in turn, told Ib about his life. He told her how he was in college and was trying to get his masters degree in art. He showed Ib his sketchbook. Ib blushed when she saw the first picture; it was of her. She was wearing her school uniform. The date at the bottom read: 3/14/08, the day she had bumped into Garry again outside the art store. The picture looked so exact it could have been a photograpgh. The other pictures were of a bread basket, a cake, a fountain, a cat, and the last picture was of Mary. She looked exactly as she had when they'd first met her. She looked bright, cheerful, and a little scared too. It made Ib's heart ache. When they ran out of stuff to talk about they played red car-blue car. Ib being red and Garry blue. By the end of the game Ib had counted 17 red cars, Garry counted 26 blue cars, and Ib had also counted 7 yellow cars for Mary.

At 2:30 Ib had the nice man who ran the cafe wrap up the rest of her macaroons, and so did Garry. She tucked them safely in her bag and sipped the rest of her hot chocolate before Garry walked her out the door. He walked her all the way back to the park and to the tree.

Garry and Ib hugged each other goodbye. "Oh, Ib take this, incase you ever want to talk to me" said Garry and he gave her a slip of paper with a phone number on it. Ib put it in her bag with her handkercheif and candy.

"We should definetly do that again sometime" said Ib, putting on a smile.

"Yeah" garry replied. He hugged her one more time before they parted ways.

"Goodbye" Ib said weakly under her breath even though Garry was no longer in earshot. She peered at the clock which now read 2:43. "I should probably get going now" Ib said to herself. As Ib walked along the sidewalk she started wondering about what to do when she got home. Maybe she'd take a nap and hope to see Mary. Ib stopped to look across the street. Sure enough there was the Guertena art gallery.

A boy stood out front. He had on a light gray paperboy cap and a long sleeved white shirt with a dark blue vest. He also wore a pair of tan shorts and brown loafers. He turned to look at Ib. Jet black curls fell out of his hat and into his face. He was glaring accusingly at Ib.

The hairs on the back of Ib's neck stood up. She turned and continued to walk toward her house, not wanting to turn back. Ib had just walked in the door when the clock struck three. "I'm home" Ib said loudly so her parents could hear. She ditched her shoes at the doorway for a pair of house slippers. Her mother's head popped out the kitchen doorway.

"Just in time" she said before tuning back into the kitchen. Ib walked upsatairs and into her room where she collapsed on her bed. Carefully she plucked the rose from her hair, sniffed it, and put it back in the vase. She started to feel a bit tired once her head hit the pillow and she fell asleep.

"Ib!" called Mary's cheerful voice from down in the meadow.


	2. When Yellow Roses Turn Black

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

chapter 2

When Yellow Roses Turn Black

Mary stood in the meadow watering roses. Ib had no clue why. These roses usually took care of themselves. Ib jumped off the hill and ran toward Mary. Despite her cheerful tone, Mary looked awful. She had bags under her large, smiling blue eyes. Ib wasn't sure if Mary even slept, but she desperately looked like she needed to. Mary's skin was pale. She looked sickly and frail almost like she was... no, that couldn't be it. Could it?

"You look-"

"Tired. I know It's because of that" said Mary looking into the distance.

"Because of what?" Asked Ib.

Rather than give an explanation, Mary pointed to the far side of the meadow. At the very edge of the meadow were black roses. "How could you not see them?" Mary asked sadly. She plucked one of the yellow roses and sniffed it. She then carefully placed it in her hair. "Banished from one place to another" she said dejectedly "it's not fair." She looked like she was going to cry.

"What's wrong with black roses?" Ib asked. Mary stared at her blankly, as though the answer should be obvious.

"Roses aren't meant to be black, Ib. These are a parasite. They're killing this meadow... and me along with it." Mary said, her voice devoid of any emotion or power. She sat heavily, her navy blue skirt fanned out around her. Mary looked older. The years had been kind to her, for a twelve year old, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Her curly blonde hair fell all the way down her back, even her clothes were different. Instead of the green dress, Mary wore a white short sleeved shirt with a black sailor collar and a little red bow. She had a puffy, navy blue skirt, white knee socks and brown doll-like shoes. Her nails were even painted a beautiful blue color. They glittered like sapphires in sunlight.

"Mary, have you ever tried to find an end to the meadow?" Ib had asked the question before, she knew the answer. It never changed.

"Of course, you know I have. I want to live with you and Garry in the real world. Not here by myself with no one to talk to but you on occasion. Not that I don't like talking to you. Ib, you know that you're the closest thing I have to real friend. But I wan't to meet real people, in the real world" Mary said sadly, clasping one of Ib's hands in both of hers. They weren't as warm as usual, but they weren't cold.

"What happens if the rest of the roses turn black?" Ib asked.

"I'm guessing I'll die or be moved to another prison again" said Mary, her tone once again emotionless "my new prison might not be this nice. I might not change anymore. I might not see you again" Mary said. "I really hope this sin't the last I'll see of you." Tears pricked Mary's eye, which were threatening to overflow.

"It won't be" Ib promised. "So where did all of the black roses come from?"

"I don't know but look what happens when I touch them" Mary said leading Ib over to where the black roses met the yellow ones. Mary knelt and simply touched one of them. It fell to ashes and got blown away in a sudden burst or wind.

"Why don't you just take care of them like that" Ib asked.

"There's too many for that" Mary said.

"Oh" was all Ib could think to say as it dawned on her that the meadow was endless, and the roses extended far beyond Ib and Mary's line of sight.

"I don't know how to take care of them" it was at this point that the tears fell down Mary's cheeks and she began to cry. Ib comforted Mary as they sat in the meadow desperately trying to think of a way to save it.

"I just don't know" Ib said after what must have been an hour.

"Oh, Ib" said Mary, who all of a sudden sounded urgent. "Don't trust-"

But Ib never found out who she wasn't supposed to trust. Her mother was shaking her awake. "Mary..." Ib said, still half asleep as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"No, sweeie. Mommy. Dinner's ready" Ib's mom said. "We're having pasta. Your favorite kind, too." Ib looked over at the clock. It read 5:45. 5:45! Ib sprang up from her bed. She went downstairs with her mother and ate dinner.

"Thanks mom, it was delicious" Ib said rushing back up to her room after putting her plate away from dinner. She knew someone who could help solve Mary's problem. If he even agreed to help. Ib pulled out her cellphone and the slpi of paper with Garry's number on it. She quickly dialed it and waited for him to pick up the phone. _Please pick up, please pick up_ Ib thought.

"Hello?" said Garry.

"Garry?"

"Ib?"

"Garry. I need your help."

"You know I'll try. What do you need?"

"It's Mary."

"Mary!? What does she want now? Are you okay? Please tell me she doesn't know where you are."

"No. She's in trouble. I need help saving her."

"Saving her!? Ib, she tried to kill us, remember?"

"I know but-"

"Why would you want to save her?"

"She's saved me. Multiple times. She's not in the real world, if that makes you feel any better. Sometimes I talk to her in my dreams. At first, I was hesitant too but if she hadn't warned me I'd be dead right now. Please, Garry, I have to at least try and help her." Ib was begging now.

Garry's line went silent for a long time. "What's wrong with her?" It sounded as though he was talking through gritted teeth. Ib sighed relieved. She explained all about the meadow and the black roses. "I don't know, I'm sorry" Garry said apolegetically. "I'll think about it though. If I come up with anything I'll contact you." Ib gave Garry her cellphone number.

"Garry?"

"Yeah."

"Mary was trying to warn me about something the last time I saw her but... we got interrupted. I think that it's someone who's going to try and hurt me. Any ideas?"

"Once again, I don't know. Don't trust anyone though, okay. Keep your cellphone on you at all times. If anyhting happens, anything at all, call me. Got it?"

"Okay, thanks. Goodbye Garry."

"Goodbye, Ib." And they both hung up the phone. Ib spent the rest of the night pacing her room, searching the internet, looking in books, anything that could help her save Mary. Eventually, Ib got tired of her fruitless search and got ready for bed. She pulled on her most comfy pajamas and crawled into her bed expecting a nightmare.

Ib instead found herself very disoriented when she found herself in Mary's meadow. Mary almost never visited twice, but then again she hadn't finished her warning before. There was only one thing wrong with her deduction, Mary wasn't there. Ib searched all around her but Mary was simply nowhere to be found. Ib looked all over for her but to no avail. After searching for a long while Ib finally noticed why Mary wasn't there. Something else was missing from the meadow: the yellow roses. All of them as far as Ib could see and beyond, there were no more yellow roses, only black.

Ib went hysterical. "Mary! Mary! Where are you? Mary! Mary... where did you go?" Ib collapsed on the ground in tears. Mary was gone, the roses were black, and the meadow was dead. Could anything else go wrong?

When Ib's tears had cleared enough to see, she found one thing that gave her hope. Right in front f Ib, was a yellow rose. How could she not have noticed? It was just as beautiful and lively as Mary was, the flower in full bloom. It glowed with a soft light begging to be seen. Or more likely, begging to be picked.

Ib carefully plucked the rose from it's spot in the ground and sniffed it. Fresh tears pricked her eyes as she realized that the rose was real and alive. These tears however, were tears of joy, relief, happiness even. Ib held the rose close to her heart as the light it emitted enveloped her.

As expected, Ib woke in tears. It was still dark outside. Ib's hand were clasped over her chest, but when she looked to unclasp them she found that they were holding something. In her hands, was Mary's rose.


	3. The One That's Not To Be Trusted

**A/N: hi, I'm so thankful for all of the reveiws I've gotten they were so nice. I really hate how short I made this chapter. So please bear with me and while I've got your attention, I'm very sorry for all of the typos from the previous chapter. I'll try and fix those. Hopefully this one has less (or none would be nice)! Also, I did originally write this on paper and I just finished chapter four. Now all I have to do is type it up. I'll start writing chapter five soon too and get chapter four up for you. Also, to those who have a problem with OC's this chapter introduces two (although only one has to do with the main plot to the story.) Thank you for reading and please review! =3**

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

chapter 3

The One That's Not to be Trusted

Ib stared at Mary's rose in disbelief. It was a real rose. Real and alive. Ib placed it in the vase with her red one and looked at the clock. It was almost six so Ib decided to get dressed and ready for the day. Ib put on a red pleated skirt and a T-shirt with a blue rose on it. It read: Roses are red, violets are blue, honey is sweet, but not like you. She blushed thinking of Garry since the design featured a blue and red rose. She snapped herself out of her stupor thinking _No, it won't work. He's in his twenties, you're only twelve. _She looked at her reflection in the mirror sadly. _Besides, he probably loves someone else. Probably older and prettier than you. _She slapped herself lightly in her face. Why was she even thinking like that?

Ib went downstairs. Her dad was packing a suitcase for work. "Oh, good morning Ib. You're up early, sleep okay?" Ib's dad asked. His voice was tired-sounding. He was clearly not thrilled to be up this early to leave for work.

"I slept... okay" Ib replied biting her lip as she remembered the dreadful meadow. The dreadful meadow that was now _dead_.

"Wonderful" he did not sound like he meant that. After, there was a long, akward silence.

"I'm going to get some cereal" Ib said shuffling over to the pantry. She quickly gathered items she needed and sat down and ate. Along with her father who was having cold, soggy toast. He made himself a bowl of cereal also, seeing as that would be a better option. They ate swiftly and mostly silent. One of them would try to strike up a conversation but it never lasted long. Ib put her dish in the sink and put the cereal away as well.

"Well, I should get going now. Love you, see you when I get home." Ib's dad said as he walked out the door to his car.

"Love you more Dad" Ib shouted out the door, stifling a laugh. With nothing left to do, Ib sat on the couch watching a pokemon marathon that just happened to be on. At around ten o'clock the phone rang. "Hello?" Ib said into the reciever.

"Hi, Ib, it's me, Stacie. What's up?" Stacie's cheerful (too cheerful for the morning) voice said from the other end.

"Watching pokemon. Ash was just about to win the last badge from Clair. Anything up with you?"

"I'm so glad you asked! My parents just so happen to be taking me to a museum or something today, and they said I could drag you along! I'm begging you to come. I'll die of boredom if I'm not rescued! Please say you can! It's not far from where you live. You could probably walk and be there in less than fifteen minutes!" Stacie pleaded from her end of the phone.

"Okay. Wait, it's not the Guertena Art Gallery is it?" Ib asked, a feeling of panic rising in her.

"Yes, actually. How did you know that? It should be fun right?" Ib's face drained of blood at the thought of dragging Stacie through anything that she had gone through with Garry and... Mary. But, if she didin't go Stacie might end up there anyway, and stay there. At least Ib knew the way out. "Ib, are you still there? Helloooooo~"

"Yeah, I'll meet you there. Bye." Ib hung up. She ran upstairs, grabbed her cellphone and a denim jacket. She decided her rose would be safer here. Just to be safe, Ib also grabbed a pocket knife out of her sock drawer. She quickly scrawled a note on the back of a spare piece of paper. She stuck it to her mother's bedroom door. It read:

Mom,

Went with Stacie to Guertena Art Gallery. Have my cellphone. I'll call when I'm coming home

Love,

Ib

Ib ran out the door and to the gallery. Her heart nearly lept out of her chest when she saw none other than paperboy from the other day leaning casually on the wall beside the door. He smiled. Today he wore a simple black T-shirt and brown cargo pants. He also donned his paperboy cap. Looking closer, Ib notice that his eyes were a beautiful, dark blue, like sapphires. The same color as Mary's nails...

"Ummm... hello there" said Ib akwardly. Had he been waiting for her?

He frowned, seeming to once again remember he was mad at Ib for something, and he glared at her. "Hi..." he had a high and lightly melodic voice, like a girl but Ib figured that saying that out loud would earn her a black eye or quite possibly the loss of a few of her teeth so she went against the idea of insulting him.

"I'm Ib" _may as well act friendly _she thought putting on the most dazzling smile she could conjure up. "What's your name?"

"You can call me Shay" he said. Shay, the name oddly fit him.

"Shay? That's a cool name. Is it short for something?" Ib asked interestedly.

"Yeah. Look I'm guessing you have an alterior motive for coming here, and it wasn't to meet me. Here take this" Shay produced a piece of paper from his pocket. "Come over if you've got time. We've got to talk." Before Ib could refuse or ask why he wanted to talk to her and how he even knew who she was, Shay turned and ran down the street.

"Ib!" Ib turned and saw Stacie waving at her with both hands from a car window across the street. Stacie was a tall, fair skinned girl with long black hair that feel all the way down her back and then some. She had large smiling eyes the color of jade. She donned a pir of flip-flops, denim shorts, and a blue tank top. She ran over to Ib, parents in tow, and pulled her into a hug that mgiht have crushed Ib's ribs to dust had she not pulled away fast enough. "Let's go look around" and she dragged Ib inside. While her parents flitted through pamphlets at the front desk Stacie dragged Ib into the gallery until they were on the far side of the "Abyss of the Deep" floor painting. "So who was that boy you were talking to? Is he an old friend of yours? Do you have a boyfriend you didn't tell me about?" Stacie pressed hardly pausing for breath between words. Ib laughed good-naturedly.

"I actually just met him for the first time a minute ago" Ib explained. Stacie didn't seen to be satisfyed with this explanation but she didn't let on about it. Instead she dragged Ib around the gallery. Stacie stopped to look at anything and everything that was romotely interesting or had pigment to it. They spent a long amount of time looking at the accessories imagining themselves decked out in the glittering jewels. Stacie and Ib were eyeing "Your Dark Figure" talking about how cute the cat was. Ib complained that her parents wouldn't buy her a cat and Stacie insisting that the painting depicted her kitten, Cheshire. Ib giggled as they passed "The Coughing Man." She also cringed when they made their way back to "Abyss of the Deep" and Stacie had leaned so far over the railing she might fall in. But they proceeded fairly quickly.

They went up the stairs and looked at all of the paintings and sculptures Ib keeping her distance from "The Hanging Man" and his glowing red eyes. Stacie looked at "The Tase-Cleansing Tree" commenting on how it looked very much like glowsticks. Tasty glowsticks. Logic. They stopped once again at the large rose sculpture "Embodiment of Spirit." Ib read the name aloud for once not feeling akward about a piece of art in this gallery. Of course that only applied to this one piece. She was still fairly certain that "The Lady in Red" or blue or green or even purple for that matter were out for vengence.

"I wonder if my spirit's as pretty as that" Stacie said awe-struck.

"If it is I'm sure that yours is every color under the sun and then some" Ib commented.

"Think so?" Stacie said winking at her "Then yours has to be red. It's your favorite."

Ib giggled "Yeah, probably." They walked around the gallery's ground floor all the while ooooohing and aaaaahing when they passed something they liked. After looking at everything on the ground floor they ran up the stairs. Stacie's parents were looking at "The Hanging Man" and said "hi" as they passed. While Stacie eyed the "Reserved Seat" sculpture, Ib's face paled when "Fabricated World" once again caught her eye. Ib tried to push past it, insisting that it was a really boring painting and a complete waste of time to look at. But the large painting caught Stacie's eye and she did stop to look at it. "I know, it's huge, can we move on now? I really want to see "The Lady in Red."" Ib did not even want to be remotely near "The Lady in Red" but it was only painting she could think of. She pulled desperately at Stacie's arm.

"Just a minute, this is really interesting. It's just a painting, Ib, you act like it's gonna bite my head off or something" Stacie said idignantly. Ib silently cursed her ignorance as well at stubbornness. Before Ib could pray for nothing to happen something did. Yellow paint dripped from behind the painting on the far side of the wall.

"Do- do you see that?" Ib asked pointing with shaky hands.

"See what? The wall? It's nice but the paintings are far more attractive and white is so overused for walls. It might attract some more attention if it was a nice beige or perhaps a light shade of violet?" Stacie said dissmissively as she once again examined the deadly painting. She couldn't see it. The message was for Ib, and only Ib. She reluctantly walked over to it. "Ib" it read "Don't trust The Man in the Mask - Mary" "OMG! Ib, are you okay?" Stacie asked worriedly. Ib hadn't noticed that she'd sunk onto her knees.

"Fine" Ib lied. The message dissapeared. _The Man in the Mask? What man? I don't know any man who wears a mask. Unless dad on Halloween counts... probably not. Is it someone I know or not? _Ib thought as Stacie helped her to her feet.

"Do you want to go home? You look like your gonna faint" Stacie said, Ib still leaning on her heavily. Ib shook her head. No need to ruin Stacie's good time. They continued on in the gallery. Ib paled again when they reached "The Lady in Red," wishing of all paintings she hadn't said that one for she was certain that the painting would hop off the wall once their backs were turned and they would be chased down and killed. Ib stayed on her feet though, she was determined to make it through this gallery. Her resolve was broken as they looked to stop at the three headless statues donning blue, red, and yellow dresses. "Death of the Individual" Stacie read aloud. Ib couldn't remember much after that because she fainted.

She awoke in the back of Stacie's parents car. "Wha 'appen" Ib said groggily.

"You fainted. We're almost at your house" Stacie said as they pulled into the driveway. "I stand corrected. We are at your house." Stacie walked Ib to the door and inside the house.

"Oh, Ib, I was just about to call you" said her mother as Stacie carted Ib through the door. Ib's mother checked her over and decided that all she needed was a good nap. Stacie helped her up the stairs.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Stacie asked as Ib sat on her bed.

"Yeah. You heard my mom all I need is a nap and I'll be fine." Ib said, trying to cheer Stacie up.

"Call me when you get a chance." Stacie said and with a final glance, after making absolutely certain that Ib was alright, she left.

Ib lay on her bed as her eyes flitted to the yellow rose which was the embodiment of Mary's spirit and the only evidence that she was still okay. The rose continued to glow with health, letting Ib know that wherever Mary was she was safe and unharmed. "Mary... wherever you are... I promise i'll find you" Ib said to herself as her eyelids got heavy and she slipped into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

**I've noticed I like to end the chapters with Ib falling alseep or a dream. Hopefully I can end that habbit in chapter five because I'm already done with chapter four. Plz review and thank you oh so very much for reading. I hope there's no more typos...**


	4. A Newfound Friend

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

chapter 4

A Newfound Friend

When Ib awoke the next morning it was 11:36 am. She got out of bed, went downstairs, and ate a large serving of pancakes since she had skipped dinner the previous night. She put her hands in the pockets of her jacket and found a slip of paper, slightly crumpled from being slept on. It read: 467 starcross avenue. "Hey, Mom" said Ib still looking at the paper.

"What, sweetie?" asked Ib's mom who was still cleaning up breakfast.

"Can you take me somewhere today?"

"Sure. Where?"

"467 Starcross Avenue"

"Okay, let me know when you're ready."

"No problem. Just let me get dressed." Ib ran upstairs and changed clothes. She put on a dark blue T-shirt from a water park, a matching powder blue scort, a pair of flipflops, and she brushed her hair and pulled it back in a ponytail. Then she waited downstairs for her mother to finish getting ready. After what felt like an eternity she came downsatirs and grabbed the car keys.

It was a _long _drive. But Ib and her mother were determined to get there. Throughout the entire car ride Ib wondered what, exactly, Shay wanted. Why was he always so mad at her? Guessing didn't help. She knew nothing about him to base her guesses on.

"Ib, honey are you okay? You're really beginning to look pale" Ib's mother asked her ruby red eyes shining with concerned.

"Fine..." Ib said weakly hoping not to sound like a dirty liar. The remainder of the car trip was silent. Until, Ib got tired of the silence and turned on the radio. Her mother shut it off again when a song by a certain band started playing.

When they arrived at Shay's adress both Ib and her mother's mouths dropped to the floor. It was a huge mansion. The exterior was a pearly white. Looking closer, Ib noticed that it had random paintings on some parts of it. Some of them looked vagely like real people or places, some were nothing more than squiggles and splashes of color.

"Ib... who is your friend, and are you absolutely certain you have the right adress?" Ib's mom asked her mouth still slightly agape as she checked the adress on the paper once again. Shay's handwriting was surprisingly neat.

"I didn't even write it. Shay just gave it to me. Are you sure that you didn't just read it wrong?" Asked Ib also and in equal amount of shock.

The mansion had a gate out front which appeared to be made of obsidian. Ib got out of the car and approached the gate. There was a mail slot with the adress right above it. The words looked like they were set in gold. The was an intercome with a green button and a red light. The green button was glowing. So Ib did what any sane person would do. She pushed the shiny button. "Ummmm... hello?" She asked tentatively.

The red light glowed. "Hello. May I help you, Miss?" asked a woman's voice.

"I'm here to see Shay" said Ib hoping that was enough information.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Ib."

"Oh! I'll open the gate straight away. Wait a moment, please." The gates swung open slowly like they do in scary movies. Only this place wasn't abandoned and the lady on the intercom wasn't a ghost. Or a painting for that matter. Well, that's what Ib was hoping for.

"looks like we're in the right place after all" Ib said turning on her heels to look at her mom.

"Call me when you want to be picked up" said her mom. "Love you."

"Love you more" said Ib as her mother drove away. Ib walked through the gates, gawking at the statuary and the roses in the garden. She walked up the steps and looked at the doors. There was two which were set opposite so that they opened like an art gallery. Handprints of different colors adorned it. A large blue handprint that looked like it belonged to a man had the name Samuel written underneath, another was green with the name Weiss. A violet one, which was slender like a lady's, read Meredith. And a teal one in the top corner read Isla and a red one that read Toby. Near the center of the doors by the right handle was the smallest handprint in pink. It read Shay underneath. Ib was about to knock on the door with the schmansy door knocker but it opened before she had the chance. Well, so much for not being haunted.

But as the door swung open it revealed none other than Shay. He had on a button up top that might have once been white had it not been covered in many paints of different colors. The shirt was a little big and hung on him and he also wore brown cargo pants (that also had paint on them). His hair was still tucked up in that cap he seemed to like so very much. He had a streak of green paint on his nose and more of the stuff in his hair. "You actually came, and much sooner than I expected you" He said happily.

"Yeah. You sure have a big house" Ib said looking at the interior which was decorated with paintings. Ib recognized some of them from the gallery. "Your family must really like Guertena's paintings" said Ib eyeing one of them.

"Hmmm? Guertena is my grandfather. We keep those up to honor his memory since he..." Shay trailed off suddenly looking like he was going to cry. Ib remembered that the artist Guertena was now dead.

"I'm sorry" said Ib. "I didn't know. I shouldn't have brought it up." Shay recovered his face.

"Of course you didn't know, I never told you." His mischevious smile was once again plastered to his face. He led Ib up a set of stairs and down a blue corridor. He opened a door that might have been white, had it not been covered in paintings. Didn't anyone teach the Guertenas not to draw (or paint) on the walls? They were a bit ametureish but Ib said nothing.

The room was easily the size of the entire ground floor of Ib's home. The walls were covered in piantings, splashes of color, posters, and drawings. There was a made up bed with a blue comforter and a bunch of pillows in one corner. Ib noticed that next to Shay's bed was a small mahogany table with a beautiful pink rose in a vase. Ib saw jars of paint over by a canvas with a stool near it. Next to that were piles of sketchbooks. there was a bookshelf and a walk-in closet with the doors drawn shut.

"Nice room" said Ib.

"Sorry if it's a bit messy. Like I said before, I wasn't expecting you this soon" Shay replied. He pulled over two stools and a round table that had been pushed in a corner for some reason and gestured for Ib to sit down.

"So why did you want me here?" Ib asked.

"Mary" Shay said. That one word was enough to bring tears to the corner of Ib's eyes. Shay knew. Mary was gone and it was all her fault. "I know you burned the painting" Shay said through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry. She was going to kill us. We had no choice" Ib said weakly, not daring to look at Shay. Well, now she knew why he had been so mad at her.

"Why?" Shay asked.

"I just told you. She was going to-"

"Are you that stupid? Mary would only try to hurt someone in self defense!" Shay was yelling now. "Why was she trying to hurt you?"

"We read her diary. She thought she had to kill us to get out. I know now that Mary's harmless but what's done is done!" Ib argued with finality. "Besides she did escape with us. I've seen her." Ib looked up at Shay. The fire died in his eyes and was quickly replaced by sadness.

"You were in her room, weren't you?" Shay asked. Ib nodded. "Why did you go in there? Didn't she tell you not to?"

"She... she wasn't with us at the time. Garry and I left her when we found out she was a painting."

"You what?!"

"In our defense, she was advancing on me with a knife." Shay's eye was madly twitching.

"Ib... Mary wouldn't hurt you just because you were real and she wasn't. You were in her room. You ditched her just because she was a pinting. She probably thought you wanted to kill her."

"How do you know what Mary would and wouldn't do?" Ib asked her guilt starting to feel alot more like burning rage.

"Because, Ib. I created Mary!" Shouted Shay. "If anyone knows her at all, it's me!"

Ib laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, right. She was painted by your grandfather."

"He painted her beacuse I asked him to. Mary is a figment of my imagination. She may be my great grandfather's painting but that doesn't mean that she was originally his idea." Shay said indignantly. _So Mary... was never just a painting? _Ib thought.

"So that's why she changes and still lives! Her painting was destroyed so she's no longer part of the gallery, so she was moved!" Ib said, starting to put the pieces together. Shay nodded as though that should have been obvious from the start. "Shay, you've been re-drawing her haven't you?" Shay nodded and picked up one of his sketchbooks. Ib recognized all of It. it ranged from Mary as she had met Ib in the gallery, and her slowly getting older and changing. She recognized the picture of Mary in the cat costume from halloween and in a school uniform from a private academy Shay must attend. Ib's heart broke into pieces at what must have been Shay's most recent drawing of her. She was running through the meadow, her arms spread wide with a large grin on her face. "I'm sorry" Ib said partly to Shay and partly to Mary. She couldn't hold them back anymore, and tears spilled from Ib's eyes.

"It's okay. You're forgiven" said Shay. "I know Mary would forgive you too." He helped her up and wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb. Ib looked up to him and he smiled slightly. Ib and Shay spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other. Shay attempted to teach Ib to draw with little progress. He had started to sketch her when he suddenly screamed. It was high and shrill, and positively ear-shattering but Ib screamed also when she saw what was going on.

The picture had, somehow, spontaneously caught fire and was smoldering on the floor. The ashes moved of their own accord. The blood drained from their faces as they read it: _she's mine now._

Shay cursed under his breath and Ib fell to the floor crying. He had Mary. She had warned Ib and he took her instead. The man in the mask had Mary.

There was a knock at the door and Shay kicked the ashes so they couldn't be read. "Sorry to bother you" it was only one of the maids "but, would you two like some tea?" Shay nodded and sent her on her way. but Ib suddenly rembered something, Mary's rose was at Ib house, completely unprotected.

"Shay. I have to go home. _Now._" Ib said.

"Why so soon? Mary's in-"

"She'll be in even more trouble I don't get home. I have Mary's rose. It's at my house right now. If he gets it he could-" Ib didn't even want to think about what might happen if he had Mary's rose.

Shay sighed. "You're right. I know who you're talking about, believe me, that would be bad." Ib called her mother and asked to be picked up. Shay and Ib decided to drink their tea in the dining room (which also had to be filled with paintings). Though the paintings in there weren't from the gallery and were clearly the work of another artist.

Ib's mom finally arrived. Shay gave Ib a number to contact him by, just incase. The ride home seemed to be even longer than the ride there. It was agonizing but Ib muddled through. Ib didn't waste anytime the second they pulled in the driveway she bolted for her bedroom. She didn't even bother to kick off her shoes. She was so relieved to see both roses still perfectly intact. She called Shay and let him know. He was just as equally relieved. Having had a long day Ib collapsed on her bed and drifted off to sleep.

In her dream, she was in a house of mirrors from a carnival. There was one mirror shattered beyond repair. She found an exit only to be surrounded by tents, rides, and food stands. Ib then heard someone crying softly. She wandered around blindly for a while, searching for them. She was surprised by who she found. It was Mary. She was in better condition than she had been in the meadow, only her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Mary. Thank goodness you're okay. I was so-" Ib stopped when she realized Mary hadn't even aknowledged her prescence. Ib tried to put her hand on Mary's shoulder to comfort her, but she passed through Mary like some sort of illusion.

"Is... is someone there?" Mary asked looking desperately (or was that frightened?) at, or rather, through Ib. Mary couldn't see or hear Ib. As far as Mary was concerned Ib didn't even exist here. Mary started crying again. Ib sat next to her. Mary was all alone again, Ib was the only one who knew as of right now, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Ib sat bolt upright. She wasn't in a carnival next to a crying Mary, she was in her bedroom. A smile crept onto her face. Then, she started to laugh. Mary was okay, and now Ib knew exactly where she was. Now all Ib had to do was find out where this carnival place was.


	5. Don't Look in the Mirror

**Sorry for the long wait I hope you all can forgive me. And just letting you know there's some violence in this chapter. More in later chapters but some in this chapter, I should probably change the rating on this, still a month later and I finally return with the next chapter. Prepare for dissapointment...**

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

chapter 5

Don't Look in the Mirror

Mary was falling. Of that she was absolutely certain. She connected hard with the ground as it had rushed up to meet her. Her breath left her and excruciating pain stabbed through her chest. She took in the damage and noted that some of her ribs might have been broken. The pain spread through her like wildfire, however, if the night held up as it had been it would all be over in a matter of seconds.

There! The pain was extingushed as a cool, refreshing feeling spread through her as she guessed was like waves washing over sand on the beach. Mary thought it was over until she heard a cold, high, and cruel laugh fill the tent. The figure was enclosed in the shadows, sitting on the trapeze. She snapped her fingers and the net below caught fire. Mary got her her feet and backed away. Vines sprung up from the earth and wrapped around her feet, they continued to wrap around her until she was incased like a mummy. Mary had no time to waste, she slashed through the vines with a shard of glass she had been using for a weapon and ran. So far, whenever she had been harmed in this world it was quickly fixed, but what if it was fatal? Mary hadn't given that _thing _a chance to hurt her that badly, but she was running out of options. Mary had cheated death once before, and wasn't sure she was going to get away with it again.

She tossed her hair back. She was drenched in sweat. She wiped it from her forhead but it was still making her clothes stick to her. It wasn't dipleasnt but she couldn't say that it was pleasant either.

The figure laughed again, but it was closer this time. Mary tried to ignore it, It was here, she knew it was but Mary knew that she had to find it find it first. She didn't even want to think about the possiblity of what might happent to her if _they_ got their hands on it.

She didn't get far. There was a sharp pain at the base of Mary's neck and it all went black.

...

Ib woke up with a start. Her eyes instantly flew to her rose. Ib's was fine but she also noticed an abundance of yellow petals littering her nightstand. Mary's rose was still heathy, but the vase it was sitting in was low on water. Very low. Ib carefully walked it downstairs and refilled it. She stayed up watching as petal after petal fell from Mary's rose and then the rose healed itself. What was Mary up to? Ib refilled the vase and, with nothing better to do, got the mail from the box and started rifling through it. Bill, bill, magazine subscription notice, report card (Ib pocketed that, she was gonna read it first), more bills, and a poster advertising a carnival. Ib gripped the edge of the table, the picture was of a man in a mask holding a bouquet of four different colored roses. One pink, blue, yellow, Ib glanced over at Mary's rose which had stopped shedding petals at the moment, and the last rose was red.

Ib was sure for a brief second the lettering had said "Come on Ib" rather than "Come on down." It had only been a second, but- no her eyes must have been playing tricks on her. Still... Ib eyed the phone. She had to contact Garry and Shay. Ib considered calling Stacie as well but decided against it. It was very likely this was a trap and a dangerous one at that. Ib wasn't going to put her best friend though anything like what she had. She wouldn't let Stacie suffer. Not like she did in nightmares almost every night. Ib dropped the flyer and picked up the phone. She didn't care that it was 4:23 in the morning, and she dialed Garry's number.

...

Garry had been none too pleased when he picked up the phone at 4:30 in the morning but it still warmed Ib's heart see him sitting at a table at the cafe where they had eaten together. She rushed over. "Garry, hi!" she exclaimed happily.

"Hello, Ib" Garry said placidly. "I'm here, now will you tell me why you woke me up at 4:30 in the morning?" He sipped his coffee, put it back down on the table, and started rubbing his temples.

"In a minute we're waiting for one other person" said Ib. _Where is he? _

"Hi, Ib" Shay was running breathlessly down the street.

"Who's that?" asked Garry, genuinely confused.

"That would be the person we were waiting for" said Ib. "Hi, Shay. I hope you found the cafe alright."

"Took me quite a bit. Sorry I'm late." Shay apologized. He turned to Garry. "Hello, I'm Shay. You must be Garry, Ib told me about you. It's nice to finally get to meet you in person." Shay and Garry shook hands. "Now, Ib" he turned on her "would you please explain to me why you simply had to talk to me at five o'clock this morning?"

Ib giggled. "Sit down. I pormise, I fully plan on telling you both everything" and she did. Ib told Garry and Shay about the dream with Mary in the carnival, Mary's rose shedding petals this morning, and the poster. Neither Garry or Shay interrupted Ib. "... so did you both bring what I asked you for?" Garry pulled his the rose from his coat in response, Shay took a pink rose out from under his hat.

"Laugh, and I will kill you" Shay threatened. Ib knew it was an empty threat but Shay's tone was dangerous. Garry paid for his coffee and they started walking. Ib had brought the poster, her rose, Mary's rose, (she was _not _leaving it alone), a bottle of water, and money for admission. Shay was studying the frowned as though the man was trying to kill him.

"Something wrong Shay?" Ib asked. Garry stopped and turned to look at them.

"It's just... it's him... I never thought..." Shay stuttered with a look of pure hatred at the poster.

"What about him?" Garry asked. He had stepped closer and was listening intently.

"He... he did it. You really don't know how the Fabricated World came to be? It was painted by my grandfather but cursed by the masked man. Now if you have a pure heart it will take you. As punishment, he threw me into the world to test it. With me he trapped Mary too. I knew she'd be safe just incapable of escape. It's a place for some of the darker works of my grandfather to roam free. In a world like that a life is a fragile as the petals on a rose. Doomed to eventually wither and die" Shay said eying his own rose. "If it weren't for Mary... I'd be 's how I knew it was you two who burned her painting in the first place. You were the only other people besides me to enter and escape from there."

"If Ib hadn't helped me. I'd be dead too" Garry added.

"Can you two brood over your near death experiences in there later? Right now we have to save one other person who was trapped in that dreadful place far too long" Ib said looking determined at Mary's rose.

It took an hour to reach the carnival on foot. Shay and Ib had started singing random songs from spongebob when they stopped short.

"Welcome friends to the carnival where fun lurks in every crevice. Please do visit our highly esteemed house of mirrors and the acrobatics show" the man in the mask said. He talked as though adressing a crowd but only looked at Ib, Garry, and Shay. They paid the admission fee and entered.

"You saw the house of mirrors in your dream right? Maybe we should start our investigation there." said Shay.

"If we're going to heed the masked weirdo's advice let's see the acrobatics show first" said Ib."It's about to start anyway."

And so they did. It wasn't hard to find. There was a large tent and inside were thousands upon thousands of people seated on bleachers circling center stage.

Shay and Garry sat on either side of Ib. The show was utterly amazing. All of the acrobats performed such amazing feats of talent and dexterity Ib had to wonder if they even had spines they were so flexible. She breifly imagined herself trying to become an acrobat when a voice center stage caught her attention. It wasn't really the voice that pulled her but what it was saying.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! Now's the moment you've all been wating for! Please give a big round of applause for the star of the show: Mary!"

"Mary!?" Ib spluttered nearly falling out of her chair and onto the stage.

It was Mary alright. It truly was Mary. Ib couldn't believe it. The curly yellow hair, the smiling blue eyes, even the blue accent on her outfit. She wore a bright yellow and teal leotard. Yellow flats for shoes and she had a blue lilly tucked behind her ear. Her hair was pulled back in a french braid. She smiled brightly and waved to the crowd, even blowing a few kisses. It that wasn't Mary it had to be her reflection.

As promised, Mary performed death-defying aerodynamic stunts. Shay, Garry, and Ib all watch her slack jawed. Firstly, she was simply amazing. Secondly, she was in the real world with no traces of injury, which Ib had been expecting, at all. She curtsied courteously and disapeared behind a curtain that must lead backstage.

With the show over, Ib, Garry, and Shay went backstage to meet Mary. And maybe get some answers while they were at it...

They ran backstage. Mary was laughing with another acrobat. She looked about the same age as them. Tall, tan and muscular, something like a female basketball player might look like, with glasses framing cerulean blue eyes and long brown hair. She wore a silver and ocean blue leotard. Ib knew that face from somewhere she just couldn't quite remember.

"Ib!" That was definetly Mary's voice. She pulled Ib into a bone- shattering hug. "Can you believe it? I'm _outside_, finally!" Her face bordered on eccentric. Ib was relieved but couldn't quite help but feel that something was off about Mary. "Garry! Shay!" She hugged them both.

"Whoa there, kiddo. How many cups of coffee did you have this morning?" Garry said prying her arms off from around his waist.

"Three. Is that bad?" Garry's eyes widened.

"Well... you'll sleep well tonight." Garry sounded reproachful, not wanting to tread on fragile subjects. Mary's face was brighter than the sun.

"I hope so! I've been looking forward to sleeping!" She ran quickly over to the girl she'd been chatting with earlier. The girl nodded and Mary diassapeared behind a curtain for a couple of minutes and came out wearing the sailor outfit from before. "Well, let me show you guys around!" Without waiting for a response Mary dragged them out of the tent and into the thick of the carnival.

They went on a few rides including a huge rollercoaster. Shay wasn't all to happy and ended up clinging to Garry the whole time since Mary seeed to want Ib all to herself. Mary treated everyone to ice cream and she showed them all of the carnival's main attractions. They went into a haunted house (not good for any of them) and afterward, with a severe need for something less scary, went on the teacups and even a kiddy train. Then Mary dragged them over to a large, dark purple building shaped something like a fairytales castle. It had birght, spherical lights surrounding a large gateway."This is the house of mirrors, then?" Shay asked.

"Yeah. C'mon inside. It's really cool!" Mary squeaked and ran inside. Ib, Garry, and Shay followed her. There was a red carpet covering the floor, majestic purple walls, and room upon room filled with mirrors. The entire place was lit with torches giving it a eerie feel. At the same time it felt like walking through an abondoned medevil castle.

The mirrors distorted their reflections in many different ways. It was hard not to laugh. "This room next" Mary said leading them through a thick, rich violet curtain. They followed her inside. Ib gasped. This was the place from her dream. The only difference was there wasn't a broken mirror.

All of the morrors were regular. The reflections were exactly the same as any other mirror. There was something off about them though. The reflections wre more like identical twins mirroring each rather than regular reflections. There was definetly something off about them... something almost evil.

Mary's was the only exception. Her reflection's face was red and puffy like she had been crying. She also looked very tired. She spotted Ib the same time Ib spotted her. Her eyes quickly widened in surprise, but that quickly changed to desperation. She started pounding on the mirror mouthing something. Ib thought she was saying "help me" but realized that she was actually saying "go away! Get out of here, Ib!" That was Mary. The girl trapped in the mirror was Mary. So who was...

"Oh my. If only she had just been good and stayed quiet. Like a good little prisoner. None the less I've been found out" the Mary wannabe clapped her hands together. The room glowed with a menacing red hue. The curtain they had enetred from solidified into a wall. The message was clear though: _no one escapes_. Ib didn't realize what was going on until she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist. She thought it might have been a frightened Garry or Shay but she saw herself. Her reflection was coming out of the mirror and pulling her inside. Ib tired to escape but her grip was like a vise. Ib heard sounds of struggle and someone screamed. The last thing she remembered was the Mary wannabe laughing with Mary's cynical laugh and the real Mary crying silently. Then it all went black as Ib's own reflection pulled her inside.


	6. Here We Go Again

**Sooooooo sorry about the late update! Happy new years everybody! My friend asked to be in this chapter and so he is! Plus, it gave me something to write. yay. Again sorry. **

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

chapter 6

Here We Go Again...

"Ow..." Ib's head felt like someone had nailed her with a hammer. Her arms and legs felt like lead. She could just barely remember what had happened. With a temendous amount of effort, she picked herself up off the ground.

Her shirt was torn slightly and she was bleeding from a cut on her cheek. She leand back on her hands drew her breath in sharply. She lefited her plams to her face and stifled a scream. her palms were bleeding quite heavily and were littered with shards of glass. Ib stood and took in the damage on her body. She looked like she had gone through a blender set on 'chop' but she figured if her legs could carry her she would be okay in the end. Surprisingly there wasn't much blood on the floor but there was an abundance of red petals.

Aside from the glass that surrounded Ib there were four shattered mirrors, including her own. One wasn't all too far away. One was on the other side of the room and the last near a dark purple curtain. Ib found her rose, or rather, what was left of it with three petals still clinging to it. She searched frantically for Mary's rose. She eventually found it sitting behind her mirror. It was missing a few petals, which looked to have been hastily ripped off since there were also halves of petals, but it was still in a much better state that Ib's. Ib decided to search for the others and possibly a vase.

"Garry! Shay! Mary! Where are you guys? It's Ib! If you guys can hear me, please say something!" Ib called, growing more and more frustrated and scared each passing minute no one called back to her. Ib noticed something though, as she walked along the mirrors; she didn't have a reflection anymore. Only her clothes, floating as though they were on her body, were reflected in the mirror. Ib also noticed that she was wearing the same outfit as when her and Garry had gone through the Gallery.

"Ib? Is that really you?" That was Shay's voice. Ib searched around her but he didn't seem to be anywhere. "Look up!" Ib did. She had to hide her laughter. Shay hung from the ceiling by one foot on a red sewing thread that looked like it should have snapped long ago. He held his hat to his head. (What was with him and that hat?) "About time. Are you okay? No offense, but you look awful."

Shay wasn't looking so hot himself, but Ib said nothing. "Fine. Did you happen to see what happened to Garry or Mary?"

"No. Mary wasn't here, I didn't see what happened to Garry either. He should be okay though. I did see him punch his reflection in the face. That thing which decided to look like me, hit me a few times, tied me up and left. Ever since I've been waiting here for one of you guys."

"At least you and Garry stayed conscious coming through. I got knocked out."

"Tough luck."

"Do you have your rose?" Ib asked.

"Yeah. Doesn't have many petals left though."

"Mine doesn't either."

"Do you have any idea where Garry might be?"

"Ummmm... that would be a no. I've been looking though."

"Find him first. Maybe Garry can cut me down."

"Okay." Ib did NOT want to explore this place by herself. Especially when there may/may not be a bloodthirsty version of herself running around. But there wasn't anything she could do. Shay was tied up and she wasn't tall enough nor did she have a tool to cut him down. Garry was somewhere in here and Mary was nowhere to be found. After deeming the mirror room void of any life besides herself and the ever useless Shay, Ib walked through the curtain. The carnival was almost exactly the same as in the real world. The sky however, was Ib's biggest hint that she was no longer in the real world. It was bloodred with stars and a full moon that glowed black rather than silver. Luckily for Ib she found a vase right outside of the mirror castle. It was only half-full and there was a bloodstained handprint on the side. It was the size of Garry's hand. Ib was worried before she realized that he had probably healed himself then went looking for Ib and Shay.

Ib healed herself and Mary's rose. She almost wished she had taken Shay's but he was likely to not give it to her anyway. Ib felt sweet, sweet relief as a cool feeling washed over her and her wounds healed themselves. She followed a slight blood trail until she reached a place where it was obvious a fight had broke out. Still though, Ib knew that if Garry had been here, he wasn't anymore. She decided to check around the rest of the carnival and though she did it hastily, she found a door that needed a key. The door was black as night and decorated with diamonds that twinkled like stars in the real night sky. Ib felt a pang as she realized how worried her parents must be. Ib decided to go back to Shay, the longer she was alone, the creepier that place seemed to get. She walked back over to Shay but he simply wasn't there. Someone had cut the thread.

"Boo!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHH" Ib screamed. Shay was laughing. "That was NOT funny!"

"Ah, but it was" said Shay.

"Was NOT!"

"It was kind of funny" said Garry.

"Garry!" Ib spluttered. He was okay. Apparently he had visited the vase at somepoint. "I thought you would be on my side."

"Sorry."

"Not too long after you left Garry found me. He cut me down and we were just waiting for you to get back." Shay explained.

"So you two thought it would be fun to scare me." Ib reasoned.

"Kind of" said Garry.

"It WAS funny" said Shay.

"If you think it's so funny maybe I'll just let you go explore this place by yourself."

"Maybe I will" said Shay.

"Maybe I will bonk you both on the head if you don't stop acting like you're five" said Garry.

"Sorry" said both Ib and Shay.

Ib explained what she found including the door. "So we'll need a key then" Garry reasoned "I didn't see one when I was looking for you two."

"I haven't left this room yet" said Shay.

"Let's look for it. And... maybe we'll find Mary too." Ib said downcast. The trio headed outside and looked in all of the places where they might find a key. The scanned floors, tables, and even drawers closely. None of them had seen this place before Ib, so none of them knew what dangers lurked in the darkest shadows. It was the understatement of the century to say that they were jumpy. If so much as one of them stepped on a twig they all screeched like birds and pulled weapons. Garry pulled a lighter, Ib pulled a paricularly large shard of glass, and Shay had somehow gotten a sword off of a armored knight in the house of mirrors. So it wasn't exactly the best thing in the world when they found that the ice cream stand was occupied.

The kid who was running the stand was playing with a bowl of strawberry ice cream that had long turned into liquid. There were sprinkles and M&M's in there and he was rearranging the way they looked with a spoon. He was asian with short jet-black hair in a buzz cut and coffee colored eyes. He wore a simple polo shirt with a nametag that read: _Hello! My name is Mike! _As they got closer Ib noticed that his mouth was stiched shut. Ib gasped and Garry put himself between the kid whose name was apperently Mike and Shay and Ib. Mike spread his hands as if to say: Welcome! Would you like some ice cream? Since it was appenrent he could no longer speak.

"Do you know where we can find a key?" Garry asked "just nod your head yes or no." Mike put a finger to his chin as if pondering the question. He then nodded. "Excellent! Could you point us in the right direction?" He pointed to himself.

"What are you-" Ib started but stopped herself as Mike proceeded to pull a key on a chain from under his shirt. It was black and had a diamond on it that twinkled like a lone star. "That's it!" He happily handed the key to her. "Thank you" he smiled sadly and pointed in the direction of the door. He dipped his finger in the ice cream soup and wrote on the counter: good luck, you'll need it.

They left hastily Ib feeling horribly for that poor kid. She knew somewhere in her heart that she would see him again, though. Ib found the door again without difficulty. She placed the key in the lock and all of the stars on the door glowed so brightly they temporarily blinded Ib then dissapeared. The door creaked open, and guess what? No light. It was pitch black.

"Here." Garry pulled out his lighter. The light it produced was small but enough to see what was in front of them. The proceeded slowly. Ib found a candle which lit up the whole room somehow after they lit it. The room was long and the top was built like a planetarium displaying starts slowly moving around the atmosphere. It was dazzling. They found two more doors. One was gold and glowed softly with it's own light it was decorated with a sun that appeared to be made of rubies and the other was silver with a crescent moon on the door. The tips faced upward and the moon appeared to be made of citrine. Both were locked. Wonderful. "Okay so we need two more keys." Garry ran his fingers through his hair.

"Really? I never would have guessed." Shay said srcastically but something was seriously annoying him. Was it that he had been beaten up and hung by his reflection? They looked around for the keys but found nothing. Ib walked over to the gold door and noticed the door knob was gone. She pushed on it slightly and it gave way. She screamed as she fell inside.

**So yea it's really short but something. I'm REALLY sorry for the late update but you know stuff happens. I've had school, wrtters block and now I have midterms to study for! I'll try to update sooner but I said that last chapter and look what happened. I still kind of have writers block so sorry about most of this chapter being pointless dialogue. I'll try not to make that the next chapter. But now I have an idea for the next chapter! Hoping to update soon! **


	7. Not So Deadly Sins

**I know that I lost a lot of my followers with this story. I'm sorry. If any of you guys are still reading this please let me know because I'd like to know that I'm not still working on this story for nothing. I would've updated sooner but my computer got a virus. Then we had to wipe the hard drive (I was a genius and copied all of my files first so they didn't get wiped out) and then we had put all of the files I copied back in and then we find out that it no longer connects to the internet! So I've had time to work on this. Then we dragged a windows 7 (HATE the format) from upstairs and we had to defragment it and I'm working on this from a flash drive so yeah. But I know what I want next chapter. **

Ib - Lost in Dreamland

Chapter 7

Not so Deadly Sins

Ib found herself disoriented when she found herself in a small backstage dressing room. Everything was gold or bright yellow. Sitting in one of the chairs Ib saw curly yellow hair that could only belong to...

"Mary! Thank goodness you're alright. I've-" Ib turned the chair around and saw something that almost made her burst into tears. She looked like Mary. But it was obvious she wasn't. She also didn't seem to be the evil reflection from earlier so Ib thought it was okay. "Oh sorry. I thought... I thought you were a friend of mine." The girl in the chair did have curly yellow hair and large blue eyes, but they were puffy from crying. She was covered in burn scars, her mouth was sewn shut, like the ice cream kid, and she wore the green dress and black leggings from Mary's costume from the gallery. It was Mary, but younger. This was the Mary that should have been destroyed in the gallery years ago.

Fresh tears leaked from the girl's eyes as she looked at Ib. Her eyes seemed to be pleading. She held out the back of her hand to Ib. The word 'Envy' was seared into her flesh. The little girl shook, terrified of Ib. Ib didn't blame her for being scared, after all she had done this to her. "Here let me..." Ib said loosening the thread that sewed her mouth together. She pulled the string free. "There. Is that batter?"

"I... I can talk again..." The younger Mary said amazed that her voice still worked.

"How do you feel?" Ib asked. She winced.

"Pain... he's mad... you shouldn't have let me go..." She started rubbing her temples. Ib was genuinely concerned about her. She had messed her up before, now she would set things right with her other aspect.

"Well, um, Mary, why are there two of you?"

"I'm just the ashes of that painting put back together. I'm not Mary anymore. Mary, is your friend that needs the yellow rose in your hands, right? Call me Envy. The sin that destroyed me is what I've become. I may look like Mary, but I'm not. I'm a cursed work of art come to life!" It was at this point she started crying again. Ib held her in her arms and hushed her, that was how she'd learned to deal with littler kids. As she did this more kids, six of them, came out of the shadows and curtains. They all had their mouths sewn shut. One of them, a tall older girl with a suntan. She had long brown hair, cerulean blue eyes and glasses. Now where had Ib seen her before? The face looked too familiar. She gently took Mary out of her arms and pulled her into her own. 'Pride' was burned on her hand. The girl was too real, even more so than any reflection she'd seen. It was almost as though she was real. Ib undid the string from her mouth too. Ib remembered where she had seen her now. She was the girl Mary had been talking with backstage. The familiar face she still couldn't figure out.

"You should go" was all she said. Her voice was soft and unsure. It sounded more like a question than a command.

"Let me help you" Ib said. "Who are you?"

"Well, now I'm Pride. I was called Serena when I lived in the real world." That was where Ib had seen her before! She was one of those missing children on the news. That was years ago. She didn't look much older; maybe a year or two but not much more. Serena winced in pain. "They're looking for something..." she said.

"Are all of you real?" Ib asked. The children stumbled around. Ib wanted to help them.

"Please, don't end up like us..." Envy said. "Leave. Get out of here. There's no hope for me. But please, promise me that... promise me you'll get out with Mary."

"I'd never leave her behind again" Ib said. Serena unlocked a door that Ib hadn't noticed.

"Burn them..." she said. "Burn them and set our spirits free. We'll be able to leave then. Only we can re-seal our reflections. Don't let yours steal your life." Then her and all of the children disappeared. Ib walked into the door.

The room was maroon with shelves of life-like dolls in the room. "I... don't like this... I need to find out what she needs me to burn and get out of here." Ib said to herself. She walked along the corridor. At the far end were dolls that looked like all of the girls from the other room. All were there but Envy. "Is this what I'm meant to burn?" Ib said. "It must be!" She took the dolls with her. She didn't have anything she could use to burn them so she would have to find Garry.

~.~

Shay and Garry gaped at the door open mouthed. Ib had just disappeared. Shay and Garry could swear that Ib had been inspecting that door a minute ago. Garry shrunk on the ground and gripped his head. "I've lost her again..." He kept muttering. Shay honestly was shell-shocked. Partly because Ib had disappeared and partly because a college student, _a college student_, was having a mental breakdown on the floor over a twelve year old that was not related to him in any way possible just disappearing. Okay, so maybe Garry wasn't crazy but still.

Shay walked all around the room. He could not find _anything_. He continued walking around the room eventually stopping at the door with the moon on it. He noticed that it was now slightly ajar and a cold breeze was coming from behind. Shay got an uneasy feeling. "Hey, Garry…?"

"I've lost her again…."

"There's a door here" Shay said stepping closer.

"I've lost her again…."

"You jacket's on fire."

"I've lost her again…."

"I'll give you a hundred bucks to get up."

"I've lost her again…."

"What's it going to take to make you get up!?"

"Ib…." Garry looked like he was going to cry. Shay sighed. Adults, honestly…

"Garry, that door over there doesn't have a handle and it's firmly shut. We can't get inside. All we can do is go through that door there and hope she finds us soon."

"We could wait" Garry said weakly.

"And Ib could end up with that bloodthirsty reflection of hers if don't find her. Meanwhile, your reflection will get you if all you do is sit here." Garry looked conflicted for a while. Then, slowly, he stood.

"Let's go find her" Garry said. He and Shay walked into the doorway. "Is it even safe?"

Garry asked and looked incredulously at the door.

"Maybe…" Shay wasn't so sure. Doors didn't just open unless something inside wanted you dead.

"Well we won't find out by just standing here." Garry said, mustering up what little courage he had left. They walked inside. The inside was pitch black and cold as ice. There was frosty steam rolling on the floor. It was like the setup to a bad horror film. Shay wrapped his arms around himself.

"Wish I had a coat" Shay commented.

"It doesn't help much." Garry pulled his own coat tighter around himself. They continued down the corridor. Garry pulled out his lighter and checked the fluid. "I'm running low on fluid."

"Well maybe we'll find some somewhere" Shay said. He doubted it but anything seemed to be possible in this place.

~.~

Ib was done with mirrors. The entire backstage area was nothing but gold plaited mirrors. She hadn't found anything useful and the door still refused to budge. The dolls in the other room creeped her out more than she dared admit. Ib utterly refused to go back in there. Ib had an unsettling feeling that what she needed was to go back in there. She knew she was missing something. Probably a key. She searched once again.

She was rewarded with a key that looked as though it was made of crystal, but felt like ice. She found it under one of the vanities. Ib put the key in her pocket. Holding it was beginning to hurt. She had the key! Now where was the door? Something told her the doll room. The door opened slowly and beckoned her inside.

She proceeded carefully. The dolls seemed to be… standing at attention, smiling cruelly, like all of this was some sort of funny joke. Ib didn't like it. She continued down to where the dolls of the sins' used to be. Then she did a double take. Shay was sitting there.

"Ib?" Said Shay. He sounded confused. "Ib! Thank goodness I found you!" He said.

"Shay? What happened; weren't you with Garry?" Ib asked.

"Yeah, we got separated. We were in this dark corridor that was freezing and dark. Garry wanted to use his lighter but he said he was running low on fluid. Then, I'm not sure what happened but we got separated" Shay explained. He stepped closer. Ib thought something was off but she said nothing. "Let's team up to find Garry and Mary."

"Okay" Ib said. She wasn't too sure about teaming up with this Shay but she felt better not being alone in a room full of dolls.

"Oh, I found this on my way in here" Shay said holding out a wooden key. Ib took it. I have another key, but I don't think it goes here. The two of them walked out and into the gold room. All of the mirrors were broken and the color was dulled. The room had an eerie chill to it.

"Well, this is a change in scenery" Ib said. Her face had gone slightly pale and colorless, much like the room.

"It's a little creepy in here" Shay said. Then he wrapped his arms around himself "and cold." Ib nodded. They continued through the room. There was a wooden door that Ib hadn't noticed before.

"Let's go" Said Ib. The door was locked. Of course. "Wait a minute. Maybe that key you found opens this door?" Ib reasoned. Shay shrugged. Ib took out the wooden key and pushed it in the door. "It seems like it'll fit."

"What about the other key?" Shay asked. Ib took out her icy crystal key, Shay's eyes lit with a slightly maniac light. Ib got a bad feeling. She pushed the key in the lock but didn't turn it. She put the crystal key back in her pocket. Something told her that even though the key fit this was not the door to use it in. She took out the wooden key. The light in Shay's eyes died.

"Are you sure? Didn't you find that key here?" Shay asked.

"Yeah, I did, but I think that this key is the one we're supposed to use. It matches the door" Ib reasoned. Shay didn't argue. But he looked… disappointed?

The door opened to a desolate stage area. They were in the place where they had seen the acrobatics show. So this door led back here. Ib turned around but the door they had travelled through was gone. Ib had a bad feeling.

Just when things couldn't have possibly gotten worse. The door at the front opened. And in walked Garry, Mary and… Ib. She backed away. "Shay… I think we're in trouble." To her surprise (and horror) Shay just laughed.

"Correction, Ib, you're in trouble" Not Shay. Ib was completely cornered with some bloodthirsty reflections. And she was all by herself…

Ib was starting to miss the creepy dolls.

**So that's it for this chapter. I cannot wait for the next chapter! Review please! My life (as well as Ib's) depends on it!**


	8. Lost and Found Again

**I spent all day writing this, and I'm proud of it! Hopefully you enjoy! I think this is the longest chapter. Stupid site wouldn't let me update on my computer! Of course I say it's the only thing **_**not **_**giving me a problem so it gives me a problem! I had to sneak onto another computer. But here it is! **

Ib Lost in Dreamland

Chapter 8

Lost and Found Again

The funny thing about being lost, trapped and about to die is that it seems to make everything else that shouldn't be noticeable very interesting. Ib was certain that she was very well about to die; but uncertain of whether she would have a mental breakdown first or if she should laugh or cry even. Honestly, Ib's mind wound up worrying about the real Shay and Garry and god please forbid anything happen to Mary.

As the reflections closed in Ib focused on the little things. Mary's reflection in the leotard still; quite unlike the real girl. She smiled hungrily eyeing Ib's bag. Her bag which contained Mary's rose. Not-Shay joined them and whispered something. She heard him whisper something about a key. Ib's own reflection snapped "well she's not _that _stupid." Ib blushed furiously; they wanted to kill her but talked as though she wasn't even in the room. It was annoying her a bit. Ib eased back toward the door. She had a feeling it wouldn't open but she also had a plan. The other key had seemed it would fit before; anything would be better than this - than being trapped here, _with them_.

Ib was about to pull the key from her pocket when a movement near the topmost rafters caught her attention. She saw a rope being lowered slowly and quietly, not attracting any attention. Someone was up there. And they were trying to save Ib. Her heart swelled, she was going to be saved! She wasn't going to die today! Or cause anyone else's death at the very least.

~.~

Shay had lost hope after the fourth - or was it the fifth? - dead end. Garry and he were trapped in a maze. It was cold and dark at that. They'd passed some bizzare things; none had seemed particularly interested in killing them though. Shay kicked furiously at an old door. It was locked but he was _not_ going to stay here any longer. Garry sat on the floor nursing his bruised shoulder. Up until five minutes ago he had been happily helping Shay attempt to open the door. Then he'd dislocated his shoulder. It must have hurt but Garry remained mute and Shay was thankful for that. Once the door was open he'd try to pull it back in place again.

"Come on... budge already..." Shay said through gritted teeth. This was getting on his nerves. Shay's leg burned for a break, his elbows were red and his shoulders? Well, he wouldn't be carrying anything heavy anytime soon. "One more time" He encouraged himself for the fiftieth time. _Crack! _

Shay had succeeded in breaking the door. Now there were only two problems: 1) The door was still on it's hinges, and 2) Shay's leg had gone straight though the door, successfully trapping him. "Great job, Shay..." he whispered sarcastically to himself. Garry got off the floor and onto his feet.

"Wha- what should I do?" He asked. Not like Garry could pull him through with a dislocated shoulder.

Shay heard footsteps on the opposite side of the door. "Need help?" asked a familiar, heartbreakingly cheerful voice.

~.~

Ib was losing the ability to keep calm. There had been a cracking sound from over where the person had been. It had been enough to distract the reflections. They had gone over to see what it was; Not-Garry had gone. _Maybe they fell through the floor? _Ib thought bitterly. Her once chance of escape had just slipped through her fingertips. So to say she was pissed was an understatement.

"Should we kill her now?" asked the anti-Mary impatiently.

"No. Let's see what that sound was. It might have been the others. Or you" not-Ib replied. She was referring to the real Mary. Fake Shay wandered around looking bored. Ib was beginning to think he could care less whether she lived or died.

Thinking back on it Shay's reflection hadn't even killed the real Shay when he'd had the chance to. He just tied him up. All not Shay did was piss of real Shay. Maybe he wasn't so bad afterall.

There was then a series of crashing noises that were both ear shattering and annoying. Then not-Garry came running. He was followed by both Shay and Garry - yay! Shay and Garry! - who were both for some reason holding half a door over each of their heads. It was both the strangest and most wonderful thing Ib had ever seen, and that's saying something. Ib noticed not Shay run off somewhere but she didn't say anything. After the real Shay and Garry sent the rest of them running they went over to Ib. In their hustle they seemed to have forgotten that she was their hostage. Lucky her. Both of them pulled her into a hug then they backed off howling in pain. Both were missing a few of the petals on their roses.

"Are you hurt, Ib?" Garry asked.

"No. But you are" she noticed his shoulder had gone stiff.

"Oh. I just dislocated my shoulder I'm fine." Ib didn't believe him for a second.

"Let me see" Ib pulled his shoulder back into place. There was a _pop! _sound.

"Thank you, Ib" said Garry. He hugged her again. "Don't scare me like that again."

"I'll try" Ib promised.

"Now let's get out of here" Shay said. "And hopefully, find a vase."

"Wait where is-"

Garry was cut short by a blood curdling scream and the sound of glass shattering into millions of pieces. Ib didn't recognize that scream from anywhere, so why did it make her heart hurt? As they got closer and the scream was repeated Ib realized that she had heard it somewhere; she was however, having a problem placing it. Shay and Garry exchanged looks and rushed forward, Garry pulling Ib along. They pulled her over to the stage area and up a ladder that led to the rafters. That was when Ib remembered where she had heard the scream before. Her heart leapt into her throat as she recalled the face and voice of it's owner. And she was in trouble.

Sure enough she was right where Shay and Garry had left her. Mary was in the doorway of the dark maze that she had rescued the boys from. Bits and pieces of the old door still clung to the sides and frosty mist rolled out of the door. At first Mary appeared to be hallucinating clawing, kicking, even biting things that didn't appear to be there. Then they got closer.

Mary had tiny _things _clinging to her scratching and biting all the way. They were small and dark colored ranging from deep purple to ebony with what appeared to be diamond shards sticking out where their hearts should be. Some of them had red diamonds others had icy blue ones. They had small pointed ears atop their heads like Santa's elves from hell. They walked on two legs and had clawed feet and paws. Their claws were also made of crystal; the same color as their 'hearts'. They didn't appear to have a nose but they had large black eyes; like those of a beetle and rows of sharp, black, needle like teeth. Mary was fighting off maybe a dozen of them but she looked unharmed and also terrified.

No, wait. Ib took a better look at Mary. She wasn't terrified; she was livid. Mary's eyes flashed with anger. "Stay... back...!" Mary exclaimed as she sent one sailing backwards into the darkness.

"We gotta help her!" Ib rushed forward. Garry caught her. "Garry what are you-"

"We can't get through" Garry explained softly. Then it made sense. Mary appeared to be behind a screen and Ib realized that door frame was frosted over. They were watching Mary through a sheet of ice.

"We still have to do _something!_ We can't just leave her in there!" Shay said frantically looking around for something to break the ice. Ib knocked on it. Her heart sank.

"Not only is this ice solid but it's thick" Ib banged on it without making a dent or even a crack then recoiled "and cold." Ib looked at her hand and noticed ther arm was quite literally freezing; a section of her fist was iced over. Ib stifled a scream.

"Are you alright?" Garry asked.

"Yeah, I think I can break this." Ib's fist connected with the wall and the ice shattered. The entire section of her hand was blue-purple. "Frostbite." A petal on her rose froze over and dropped to the ground.

"Okay, so no touching the ice" Shay said. "So how are we gonna get through?" Ib considered this for a minute.

"Melt it. Garry you have your lighter, right?" Ib asked.

"Yeah, but it's almost out of fluid." At that point two petals dropped off Mary's rose and she was bleeding from a scratch on her cheek.

"Doesn't matter; we have to save her." Ib replied. Garry sighed and set to work.

The ice didn't melt fast enough. It wasn't normal, that was for sure. Garry held his lighter there, right next to it, until the flames began to flicker and eventually sputtered out. Try as Garry did to get the thing to light it simply refused. "Out of fluid" he said weakly.

"Dammit" Shay said under his breath. "Well then we'll have to find another way around. Since we have her rose, Mary can't die as long as we don't let all of the petals drop off. Let's find a vase and hope that Mary-gone-feral can hold those things off." Shay said. Ib didn't like the idea but they didn't have a choice. They couldn't get through. Mary couldn't hear them. She wasn't even sure if she could see them. Shay and Garry headed for the way out.

"We'll find you again! Don't worry!" Ib yelled and hoped that Mary heard her. If she did she didn't show it. Ib put it down to being busy and caught up with Shay and Garry. The doors out opened with no problem. And once again they were in the center of the carnival with nowhere to go.

"Any ideas on what we should try?" Garry asked.

"I think we should go around and go through the Moon Door again. We'll be back in the maze and we can find our way to Mary." Shay said. "Then maybe we can help her."

"It's worth a try." Garry replied. Ib didn't think they were going to get through that door. And if they did they would probably just get attacked by those things. Ib said nothing though. If she kept thinking like that then bad things were going to happen to them. And she couldn't afford that.

Suprising all but Ib, when they arrived at the door it was frozen over. "But... it was.. why is..." Shay stuttered.

"Why does this not surprise me" Ib said flatly.

"I guess this means we have to do something else." Garry said.

"Do you think there's an incinerator room somewhere?" Ib asked. Both Shay and Garry looked at her strangely.

"Why?" Shay asked.

"Because of these-" Ib had barely pulled one of the dolls from her bag when Garry screamed like a little girl and jumped behind Shay. Ib and Shay shared a look that asked: _should we be questioning his sanity?_

"Wh-where did you get those?" Garry asked pointing at the doll like she was carrying a bomb that could explode at any moment.

"The backstage area. I'm supposed to burn them." Ib said.

"So let's find an incinerator." Shay said. They walked back to the center of the carnival with Garry following from a distance. "Any special reason why he's so paranoid about those dolls?"

"I don't know. We got separated for a time in the gallery; maybe that has something to do with it. I do remember him saying he'd had enough of them at one point. I remember a room full of bunnies that Garry didn't like." Ib tried to explain.

"Bunnies...?" Garry whispered, apparently he was close enough to hear them. "I don't remember any bunnies." Ib rolled her eyes.

"Sure there was. Don't you remember the room where we got the violet key, before we got separated?" Ib tried. Garry looked confused.

"There were never any bunnies in there." Garry scratched his head, as if trying to extract information that should be there but wasn't. "I remember seeing some creepy dolls."

This was new information for Ib. "Really? Mary and I saw bunnies."

Garry shivered. Shay had walked away from the conversation and was staring at one of those signs that was a pole with a bunch of arrows on it that were labeled. There was an arrow pointing in the direction they just came from that read 'stage area', another pointing the opposite direction read 'hall of mirrors', One pointed directly north; 'directors office', One pointing a little to the left of the director's office read 'certain death', and a arrow pointing down read 'concessions; you are here!'

"A directory?" Shay said quizzically. "Well, what do you guys think? Wanna try 'certain death'? That one sounds delightful!" There was a note of forced humor in his tone. Ib gave him a shy smile.

"How about the director's office? That sounds much less scary. Plus, I'm anxious to meet the person who's responsible for my insomnia due to nightmares" Garry said.

After walking for about an hour they came to a building made of creamy stone with ivy growing up and around the building. The air was humid; clouds had started to form in the red sky and Ib's hair was frizzy from the humidity. She didn't look too happy about that. Ib walked briskly up to the door and knocked.

"Why knock?" Shay asked.

"Just to see if anybody's home" Ib replied. The door was dark wood with a plexiglass window that said 'Director's Office - Our Doors Are Open 24/7! Please knock before entry.' No one responded and Ib forced the door open. The room had a bubbly blue carpet and potted plants with various tropical flowers in them. There was a desk in the center of the room with a fancy, comfy-looking red chair behind it. It reminded Ib of a throne a little bit. On the desk were two things: a silver key card that read 'library' on it and a book with a bookmark in it. Ib took the card and slipped it into her pocket. Now they needed to find a library. Well, after they helped Mary. She opened the book. Whoever this masked guy was he was good at making puzzles. This could be a hint.

"Ice-9." Ib read aloud. "It was originally thought to be a work of fiction created by a sci-fi novelist but later it was found to be real. Strange as it seems this particular type of ice only melts at 92 degrees or more. It is thought to have been used to freeze things that would travel in warm climates. The most famous use of it is a mummy commonly known as Alice, or All Ice. She mysteriously disappeared after the sinking of the Titanic."

"Well, that was interesting" said Shay.

"Do you think we'll need to know that later?" Garry asked.

"Maybe. But I'm not lugging around a book just so I can find that information later" Ib said. She was still a little cranky. Although really, who could blame her? She was a 12-year-old kid trapped in a bloodthirsty carnival with her own reflection after her and she couldn't even save her friend who had gotten attacked by _creatures _and was likely still fighting them or escaped by now. But seeing as both exits were frozen that was unlikely. Plus, a rather full day filled with disappointment and confusing puzzles, the girl was almost at her limit. Shay also was looking like he could drop at any minute. Garry looked tired but not as much as Ib and Shay. "I'll remember it. Let's go find a library."

They left the Directors Office with low spirits and even lower stamina. Ice-9... Ice-9... maybe it would be a password for later, Ib thought.

"Hey, do you think that's what it was?" Shay asked.

"What, what was?" Ib asked, tiredly.

"The door. It should have melted right? But if it's that Ice-9 stuff then Garry's lighter couldn't possibly have produced enough heat. Maybe we have to find something that can melt it?" Shay tried. It was a small hope but he had the same concern as Ib. Ib took out Mary's rose and examined the petals. It was still missing two but hadn't lost any more. Maybe she had gotten away after all. But they still hadn't found her yet. She was probably scared out of her wits; or really mad at them for leaving without her. Either way Ib would be relived when they found her again. She was escaping with everyone this time; or no one at all.

Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, it started raining.

"Lovely" Ib said sarcastically. "Just lovely."

Garry used his coat like an umbrella, Ib put her bag over her head and Shay used his arms to block out the water. With nothing better to do they ran in the direction of 'certain death.' It turned out to be not so deadly. Certain Death? It was a water ride. There was a boat waiting and a lever that simply needed to be switched to make the ride start. They looked at each other.

"Trap?" Shay asked.

"Most likely" Ib said as she stepped into the boat.

"So we're just going to walk right into it?!" Garry asked as Shay settled into the boat next to Ib.

"Yep. You getting in or can I hit the switch?" Shay asked. Garry sighed and climbed in behind them. Shay leaned over and hit the switch. The lights flashed on and a monotone version of the masked man's voice said: "please keep your hands, feet, and roses inside the boat at all times and remember to put on your safety straps. Enjoy the ride!" Then the boat lurched forward and Shay strapped himself in, Garry and Ib following suit.

The ride was the most enjoyable portion of Ib's day. They rocketed down a man-made river and through loops and down slides at top speeds. Ib's ears popped halfway through and she was sure they'd broken the sound barrier. The three of them were screaming the entire ride; some with joy, some with terror. When the ride finally stopped they were in another place entirely. The floor was wooden with white walls and two sets of stairs. One going up, the other going down.

Ib rushed forward and turned on her heel then raised her eyebrows. "Well? Up or down?" Ib asked.

"Let's go up first." Said Garry. They walked up the stairs and found a long, brightly lit hallway that had a set of double doors at the end. There was a card reader on one side of the wall. There was a red light glowing on it. Ib took out the library card-key and swiped it. Then she threw down the lever. The light turned green and there was an unlocking sound from the door. "This must be the library" Garry said. Ib fought the urge to yell "no shit, Sherlock!"

Shay threw open the door and they all gaped at how colossal the room was. It was two stories in itself and was full of books. If there was a clue in here they could spend an eternity trying to find it and still wind up empty handed. "Well, do you guys wanna explore this place or look around downstairs?" Shay asked.

"It's quiet in here. I like it" Ib said. She couldn't keep going much longer, they were going to have to stop and rest. Ib refused to be the first one to crack. She felt someone touch her shoulder.

"You okay, Ib?" Garry looked concerned.

"Just a little tired. I'm still good" Ib reassured him. Garry didn't look satisfied but he dropped the matter.

"Let's explore downstairs and then come back up here" Garry said. "We have the key-card so even if it locks we can just re-open it." Garry was right. Ib tucked the key-card safely back in her pocket and they strolled downstairs. The downstairs area was lit dimly in comparison to upstairs. It looked to Ib like it might sprawl out into a maze. She was so tired that she was hardly paying attention to anything in front of her. Until she walked right into something that had been turning the corner. Ib fell back on her tail bone.

"OwowowowowowowowowOWWWWWW! Ib howled.

"Ib? Ib!" She was then caught off guard by a glomping sensation and she found herself with her face in a mane of curly, yellow hair.

"Mary?" Ib pushed her out to arm length. It was Mary! She was a little disheveled and had hastily wrapped her cheek with some medical tape and what looked like gauze. Her clothes were dirty and somewhat tattered and her hair was knotted and grimy. Both her hands looked to have freezer burn. But it

was her Mary! She was alive! She had escaped! Ib pulled her back into a hug.

"I'm sorry. We tried to help, we really tried!" Ib exclaimed, blinking back tears. Mary was crying and they were leaving lines of somewhat cleanliness on her face. Mary needed a nice shower. But that could be arranged later. Mary let her go only to glomp both Shay and Garry. Shay started crying and Garry looked mildly embarrased. They went back to the library to talk. "So fill us in on what happened."

"I was up in the rafters of the stage area when I saw you were cornered by those nasty doppelgängers. I was going to help you but then I heard a crack from behind me and found Shay stuck inside a door. He had kicked his leg through the thing-"

"Hey! I was trying to make an escape!" Shay cried flustered, his face was bright red.

"I'm sure. So I broke the door and helped them. When I told them you were in danger they each grabbed a half of the door and ran to your side. I almost chased after them but I got grabbed by these gremlin-like things. They froze the door-"

"Wait. What do you mean they froze the door?" Ib asked.

"Will you let me tell the story!? Those things can freeze things with their breath. It takes a lot of energy apparently and the bigger and less expendable the object the more energy it takes. So they don't like freezing living things. But doors? It wouldn't take that much since doors can be replaced; or in my case door frames. Anyway, getting back to the story, I saw you guys try to help but I knew you weren't going to be able to get through so I wasn't mad. After scaring the daylights out of them using this" Mary pulled a small flashlight from her pocket "I walked through the maze for a while. They apparently don't like brightly lit places. They aren't too keen on warmth either. Then I found a medical room and fixed my cheek up to stop the bleeding. I found a trap door that led into a cellar from there and then I found you guys." Mary said. Then Ib told Mary what happened to them.

"Well a carnival ride sounds a lot more fun than ice-gremlins and a medical ward." Mary said. Ib nodded solemnly.

"So what now?" Ib asked.

"Now I say we take a break. I'm tired" Shay said, then he proceeded to yawn and stretch. Ib and Mary nodded in agreement.

"I'll take watch. You guys get some sleep" Garry said.

"But-"

"Don't worry, Ib, I'll rest up and look around a bit while you guys are sleeping. I'm not all that tired."

"Wake me up after a while and get some sleep. I'm used to this place by now" Mary said. Garry didn't look too happy about that but he didn't argue. Apparently, he still didn't entirely trust Mary. But he wasn't scared of her anymore so Ib figured he'd warm up to her eventually. The three of them settled down beside some books Shay and Ib on either side of Mary. Garry laid his coat over them like a blanket. And began to walk toward a bookshelf.

"Oh, Garry, take this" Mary tossed him a small bottle. "It's lighter fluid. Incase you run out." Mary said settling back against Ib.

"That reminds me" Ib pulled her bag over and took something out. "This is yours." Ib gave Mary her rose.

"Ib, this can't be mine. It's real. I'm not" Mary chided her. But she accepted the rose anyway.

"Funny, because it loses it's petals when you get hurt." Ib replied, shutting her eyes.

"Really?" Mary looked surprised. "I wonder what that means."

"I think I know. Mary, you're a real person now."

**So yeah. I got the Ice-9 bit from a game I have been playing obsessively. 999: 9 hours-9 persons-9 doors. If any of you have ever played it please do not patronize me if I got the degree of melting for Ice-9 wrong. I would appreciate it. Also, I might post a Witch's House fic that I've been working on in my spare time. Might. It's still not done yet and I'm not sure if it's that good since I only have a scarce idea for the plot. Also, have you guys heard of the new Ib update? I have the new version on my computer but the stupid thing won't play it! I have to but a $50 piece of equipment to play a game! Review please. **


	9. Tints and Shades of Memories

**Yeah so thinking "this isn't all that late so I can work on it when I'm done with this" is a good way to get yourself a late update. Sorry! I feel like I'm apologizing all the time, every chapter. What is wrong with me? Oh yes, and I did get the degree wrong; it was 96 degrees. I'm an idiot. -.- In lighter news I finally beat 999! I did one thing wrong and didn't get the true end. One thing! So happy...**

Ib Lost in Dreamland

Chapter 8

Tints & Shades of Memories

Ib woke the next morning to the sound of arguing. And since Shay was asleep next to her there were only two people it could be. He rolled over in his sleep and clapped two thick, hardcover books against his ears to block out the noise.

Ib grogilly sat up and took in the scene before her. Mary and Garry were yelling at each other, both standing on opposite ends of a large table in the center of the library. Both were glaring daggers at each other.

"You were supposed to wake me up and get some sleep!" Mary screamed. She did not look happy.

"You guys need sleep! I'm not going to wake up little kids when there's no danger and they need to sleep!" Garry argued. If Mary was unhappy, Garry was murderous.

"You still were supposed to wake one of us up!" Mary retorted.

"Can you quit arguing? We're all awake now thanks to you," Shay said irritably. His eyes flitted open and stared accusingly at the two.

"Sorry," Mary grumbled, still shooting Garry cutting glances from the side.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. How did you guys sleep?" Garry asked.

"Well enough. Thanks," Ib said lightly.

"My neck's stiff, but I guess I slept okay," Shay said rubbing the spot where his neck and shoulders met.

"You want to get some sleep Garry, while we plot our next move?" Ib asked.

"I'm fine without, thanks," Garry replied quickly. Mary huffed.

"I think we should head back into that maze," She suggested. "There are a lot of places I didn't check, though it is dark in there." Shay and Garry visibly shuddered.

"I don't want to go back in there," Garry said.

"You didn't wake us up and you were supposed to, so your argument is now invalid," Mary didn't even glance at him a second time.

"Oh, but I'm sure it would be valid if I was agreeing with you, huh!?" Garry argued. Mary remained silent.

"Okay, so since's Garry opinion doesn't count why don't you wan to go in Shay?" Ib asked.

"Why must you be so cruel...?" Garry whined in the background. Ib heard Mary snap at him about complaining too much.

"I don't know about you but I got stuck in door and Mary got attacked by gremlins in there," Shay argued. The boy had a point. But it didn't deter Ib from trying to change his mind.

"Oh, man up. Where's your sense of adventure?" Ib asked. Shay gave her the standard 'if looks could kill' glance.

"So it's agreed! We'll explore the maze!" Mary cried cheerily, the levels of enthusiasm varied between each person.

They left the library and entered the maze. It was so dark they all had to clasp hands so as not to be separated. Ib connected Mary and Garry, Mary headed the expedition. Shay hung at the back clinging to Garry.

They got lost so many times it wasn't even funny. Whichever direction they seemed to take it always led back to the center. "If only we had some yarn..." Shay wondered aloud.

"Yarn?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, like from the story of the labyrinth. Ariadne gave... uh, I forget his name. It was like Theseus or something like that, a spool of yarn so he could get through the labyrinth and slay the minotaur," Shay explained.

"Well let's go find some yarn!" Mary said and she pulled everyone in the direction she thought the library was. Unfortunately, all that did was get them even more lost.

"Dammit Mary!" Shay huffed angrily, he was completely out of breath. They'd been running for at least an hour.

"Sor-ry" Mary said, though she didn't sound sorry at all.

"Wait a minute. What's that?" Garry asked. They all followed Garry as he was walking toward a door that was slightly ajar. Light spilled out of it. All of them were momentarily blinded when Garry threw the door open. "Oh, it's the infirmary."

They all scuttled inside and relaxed on the beds. "Why does a carnival have an infirmary?" Ib wondered aloud.

"It's probably for performers that get injured. Although, if we're questioning why a carnival has things, why do they have a library?" Shay replied.

"I don't know, maybe so they can look things up if they want to do a play night or something," Ib retorted.

"I think we can all agree that it doesn't matter because this is NOT your average, everyday carnival," Garry threw in, trying to keep the peace.

"Wait a minute we came through a door but I came through a trap door. The door led to the backstage area prt of the maze, not the library half," Mary said. Ib didn't voice her doubt, though she couldn't be the only one thinking that they'd walked so far it was possible they were in that part of the maze by now.

"You don't mean..." Ib said instead hoping and praying her other, not very logical thesis, was wrong.

"Yup. This maze has changed since I was last through it," Mary confirmed. Then she started looking around.

"What are you looking for, Mary?" Garry asked.

"The trap door, it should lead us somewhere new now. Ah - here it is," Mary pulled up a tile and light came through the door. "Who wants to go first?" Mary asked and gestured toward the opening.

"I'll do it! This reminds me of Alice in Wonderland," Ib said happily rushing toward it, her curiosity getting the best of her.  
"Ib wait a minu-" Garry started but was too late. Ib had already jumped down the hole and the light faded. The trio exchanged looks and jumped in after Ib.

When they landed they were standing in playground at what looked like a kindergarten. "What is this place?" Mary asked.

"It looks like a kindergarten," Garry said looking around at all of the kids playing, unaware of the three new strangers in the playground.

"Look!" Mary said pointing to a little girl on a swing. She was about five with long brown hair and large ruby red eyes. It could only be - "Ib!" Mary called, but the young Ib didn't hear her.

"I think this is a memory..." Garry speculated. "So we can't change what happens here and our Ib is that Ib. She's re-living this and we're just watching."

"Where'd you come up with that?" Mary asked.

"I'm not sure actually," Garry replied.

"For argument's sake, let's say Garry's right. Then this can't be a good memory. This place is probably going to force her to re-live the worst moment in her life," Shay said through gritted teeth, watching the little girl swinging around happily.

A toy landed by her feet. She stopped swinging and stooped to pick it up. She walked over to one of the kids near the jungle gym who was angrily yelling about it. "Excuse me, is this yours?" She asked holding it out to the kid.

"My toy! So you took it!" He yelled.

"It just landed by me and I saw you were upset about it," young Ib said shyly. She smiled revealing one of her front teeth was missing. The kid was having none of this.

"Don't lie! I know you took it! How else would you come to have it?" He whined angrily and pushed Ib backward into the jungle gym. She fell to the ground. At first she didn't appear injured at all, then Garry noticed a line of blood trace its way down her face from her hairline.

"She's hurt!" Garry cried. Try as he and the other two did to help her up they faded through her like an illusion.

"What are we going to do?" Shay asked.

"The memory isn't over yet so Ib must have been coherent enough for the next part," Mary said, a twinge of hope and hysteria mixed with her voice. Sure enough Ib's eyes fluttered open weakly her voice was scarcely a whisper though she was pleading for help. She began to cry, though no sound escaped her lips.

"HEY!" Another little girl ran onto the scene. Her hair was choppy and black. Her eyes were the color of jade and she looked none too happy. "You meanie! All she was doing was giving you back your toy!" She yelled.

"What are you going to do? Tell the teacher on me?" The boy chided her.

To his and everyone else's surprise she did not tell the teacher. Instead she jumped on him easily knocking him to the ground. The children grappled but then the entire room was washed in bright light. When the light faded they were definitely standing in a hospital room.

"Ib... Ib, honey...? Can you hear me?" Ib's mother sobbed. Her face was tear stained and she was holding a sopping wet tissue. Her father was standing in the doorway speaking with the doctor. Ib herself had a forehead wrapped in bandages, though she was awake now. She turned to her mother but refrained from speaking. "Ib!" She hugged her both crying and laughing. Ib hugged her back and tears leaked from her eyes though she still didn't make a sound. The girl who had defended Ib rushed in.

"Ib-chan! Are you okayyyyy?" She asked.

Ib gave the girl a quizzical look. "Do... do I know you?" She asked after what seemed like an eternity. Her voice was incredibly soft and scared.

"I'm Stacie! And from now on, I'll be your bestest friend in the whole world!" She smiled.

Then the memory faded out and their real-time Ib, collapsed before them. She was crying and holding her head as though it might break apart. "IB!" Mary yelled, glomping onto her in the same instant.

"Are you okay? We saw..." Garry stopped himself from pouring salt in an open wound as she had clearly seen it too. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Just my pride, nothing all too horrible though," Ib smiled weakly, her pain ebbing away. "You should know that day is the reason why I was so quiet in the gallery. I was scared to speak for fear I would just be hurt again," Ib explained.

"That girl who defended you. She was at the gallery with you when I met you. Who is she exactly?" Shay asked

"You mean Stacie? She's practically my sister, guardian, as she would put it 'bestest friend in the universe'. Yeah, she never could stand bullies. Still doesn't. Still deals with them violently," Ib scratched her head whilst examining her surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Apparently we are 'taking a stroll down memory lane'," Shay replied pointing at a sign that read exactly that. A wooden door stood before them right next to the sign, behind them were cast iron gates that had thick white mist beyond. "Looks like we can only go forward from here."

"So, we're being forced to re-live our most painful memories?" Mary asked.

"That's what it seems like," Ib said. "The recoil from it doesn't last long. I feel fine now." She examined her rose. "And from the looks of it your rose isn't affected by any physical pain felt then."

"So this is just for our mental health," Shay said glumly. Garry had gone pale, clearly thinking of his most painful memory. "I'll go since Garry looks about ready to faint right now."

"I'm g-good t-t-to go," Garry stuttered, swallowing a cold lump in his throat.

"Yeah. I'll do it," Shay said shooting Garry a look of both pity and anger then turning toward the door. He shook, his expression replaced by fear, then turned to Mary as well. "You ready, Mary?" he asked.

"Huh? You said you were going. If you want me to go I'll do it but I don't really want to leave Ib," Mary said, clearly confused.

Shay laughed coldly. "No. Our memories are combined. It's likely that we'll both disappear, like Ib did," He explained.

"How do you know that?" Mary huffed. "I think my most painful memory is when I was burned." Garry and Ib flinched.

"I already have a good guess at what will be shown. It'll be the day that the fabricated world was created," Shay said.

"Oh," Mary looked down. "That was bad day, wasn't it? Okay. Let's get this over with." The two opened the door together.

As Shay had predicted the two of them disappeared, leaving Ib and Garry alone. They stood in the Guertena mansion just inside the foyer.

"Nice place..." Garry said absently. "So this was the day our hell was made."

"Yeah. Don't forget that Shay was forced in there too, and Mary got stuck in there for a good majority of her... er, existence," Ib defended them as a young Shay rushed past, a piece of paper with a crayon drawing in his hand. He ran up a large set of stairs and then up a small ladder that probably led into the attic. Ib and Garry exchanged looks and followed him.

They were in an artists's study. Both empty and full paint cans littered the floors. A few easels lined the walls and here and there a stray palette was left either on the floor or a table. A tall man in a smock with crisp white hair and a moustache sat behind an easel, covering the painting just as young Shay reached him. "Is it finished? Is she done?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, I've just put the finishing touches on. The paint is still wet but you can have a look," He said happily and uncovered the painting. It was Mary just after Guertena had finished her painting. So that cleared any confusion as to who the old man was. Shay's eyes widened happily. Then they narrowed.

"Why does she look older than me?" Shay asked.

Guertena scratched his chin. "I thought I made her an adequate age. I'd say she's around nine here. Considering your now eight I don't think I did a horrible job."

"I always made her the same age as me."

"Well then, she's your older sister."

"But I already have an older brother," Shay whined.

"She's closer to your age than him." Guertena said dismissively. They heard a door slam from downstairs. "That should be him now." Guertena left Shay alone in the room to go greet who had just come in. Shay affectionately placed the crayon picture beside Mary. Suddenly they heard shouting and the sound of something shattering. Shay ran to the door frame.

"Grampa...?" Shay asked, sticking his head out the door. He sounded scared.

"I told you that I would never-" Guertena was arguing with someone though his voice was silenced before he finished. That someone didn't sound happy when they responded.

"I know what I asked for and I am not unreasonable, Samuel. But the fact that you refuse to do what I ask still remains," he sounded calm but their was a strain to his voice. It was as if he was talking to a child challenging his patience. "And so, I ask: Is. It. Ready. Yet?" Every word was punctuated with ice. Shay cowered in the door frame.

They heard the elderly artist whisper something. "Yes, I finished it but you'll never touch it." He sounded anguished though Ib and Garry were limited to what Shay remembered from that day. If he didn't see what happened then neither would they. "Ah!" They heard a shout of pain then a sickening thud.

Shay backed away from the door, his eyes wide with terror. He grabbed Mary's painting as though trying to protect it. They heard footsteps and someone appeared in the door.

The man wore a velvet suit of deep purple with a crimson red rose in the lapel. A cape draped over his shoulders and fell to his waist. His hair was thin and brown and his skin was the color of fresh drawing paper. His eyes were hollow and a cold gray color. To put it short he looked like a corpse brought back to life. He smiled at Shay, though it didn't feel warm. Ib and Garry could feel Shay's terror just from his facial expression. "Wh-where's Grampa...?" He asked. He sounded defiant though his voice still shook.

"I believe the old man has reached his limit. Now, be a good child and show me where the painting is. I will still deliver what he asked for, after all he did finish it and it was for you anyway," He said warmly. Shay continued to back away and knocked into a rather large painting. The tarp fell away revealing the Fabricated World painting. "Ah, there it is." He said happily. "Now, I believe the painting in your hands is the painting of the girl? I don't doubt she's life-like enough to be taken out of that frame."

"You... you don't mean..." Shay's face had gone pale. Mary's painting slipped through his fingers. He stared at his own hands like they burned. The man knelt and picked up the painting.

"Still wet, though not damaged. Your grandfather truly is - ah, _was _an amazing artist," he said fondly. He plucked the rose from his lapel and dyed it pink by simply touching the petals. "I'm forgetting something aren't I? How rude of me. Today's your birthday isn't it? Happy birthday," He handed Shay the rose. Shay took it with shaking hands. "Now, what's her name?"

"M-Mary..." Shay said. He sounded ready to cry but in too much to actually do it.

"Mary, then. Today will your birthday as well," the man said, draping his finger across the painting.

"Stop! You'll ruin it!" Shay cried, remembering how to move and speak again.

He looked up and smiled. "Just watch. There's nothing to worry about." He reassured Shay. Mary's portrait started to glow.

Shay watched the painting. Then something crossed his face. "NO!" He ripped Mary's painting from the man's grip.

"You defiant little... Just as stubborn as your grandfather. For this, I'll trap you inside your grandfather's creation along with that painting! It'll be your prison!" He said. Lightning flashed despite the sun shining outside and someone screamed. Then it was dark.

They were back in the gallery both Shay and Mary lay on the floor. Mary's frame was broken. They were in the purple area. "This place..." Garry said unhappily. In fact, they were inside the doll room. No dolls or bunnies lined the shelves though. It was empty.

Mary stirred. She took in her surroundings and then her eyes landed on an unconscious Shay. "Hey! Are you alright? Hey, can you hear me?" She asked, shaking him. Eventually Shay opened his eyes.

"Mary... you're real?" He asked.

"Duh, I'm real. How else would I be here shaking you awake?" She retorted.

"Where are we?" Shay asked.

"That I don't know," Mary confessed.

Shay's rose lay on the ground beside him. His face filled with rage when he saw it. "This thing... go away!" Shay yelled tossing the rose across the room. It hit the wall, then the floor. A petal fell off. "OW!" Shay cradled his cheek, which began to bleed.

Mary rushed over and picked up the rose. "It looks like you get hurt when this rose loses it's petals. I suggest holding on to it and not doing that again."

Shay nodded and ruefully took back the rose. "We have to get out of here." Shay stood, then made his way to the door. Mary picked up her frame and followed him.

"Do you think we could fix the frame? The background part of the painting looks okay, but there's a big hole in the center," Mary examined the frame. "I don't particularly mind about that but I feel connected to this."

"That's probably because just few minutes ago the girl in that painting was you. That guy said he would make it so you could leave your frame. From the looks of it, this place is pretty empty. Who would've though that my grampa would make a whole new world out of a painting," Shay said absently. Mary seemed stuck on the first half of that.

"Soooo... I was a painting? That can't be right, I know you. I remember you. You're my best friend. Like a sister," Mary said.

"What!? Did Mary just say that Shay was like a... sister? Doesn't she mean brother?" Garry asked. Ib thought that it did seem strange but Mary was just brought to life in this memory. It'd be fine for her to make a mistake. But... had she really made a mistake? Ib thought back to meeting Shay. His scream was high and shrill, his build was small, he was always wearing a hat, and even the way he drew Mary. The style Ib had seen in some of his work just seemed feminine. On top of that the rose had been made pink. Did Mary make the mistake... or was it Ib and Garry that had been making the mistake all along? Shay confirmed it.

"That's what I always wanted in creating you... a sister. One my age. Someone I might be able to play with and talk to," Shay said a little sadly. The memory washed over in bright light. When it faded they were standing at the Fabricated World portrait. Shay was inside and trying to pull Mary through. "Come... on...!" An invisible forcefield seemed to be keeping Mary out of the painting.

"I can't go... I'm stuck here," Mary said. She sounded heartbroken though determined. Her face was tear-stained. "Just go..." She said unhappily.

"I'm not leaving you here!" Shay cried. His/her face was also tear-stained and he/she was still crying. He was giving all he had to pull Mary through.

"No... it's obvious I'm not meant to go through. Just go without me," Mary said with finality. Without waiting for Shay's argument she pushed him through and the frame went back into place. Shay was gone and Mary was alone. She curled into a ball on the floor and started crying. Then the memory itself faded.

All four of them were back in the room with the one door. The door now glowed gold. The handle was still burnt black. Both Shay and Mary were on the floor crying.

"It's okay guys. You're okay," Ib reassured them. Mary opened her eyes.

"Ib..." Mary whined, then hugged her and started crying again. "I didn't know all of that. I didn't know! The only reason I'm alive is because that... that prison was made! Ib..." Mary sobbed. Ib patted her back awkwardly trying to calm her down. Shay had already began regaining his composure.

"Alright, Garry's turn," He said. He gave Garry and even stare.

"Now hold on a minute! I think we deserve an explanation of what we just saw," Garry demanded.

"What is there to explain? My grampa made a deal, in which he was tricked into creating a prison, to bring Mary to life. And... and he..." Shay faltered.

"That was the day he died, isn't it?" Ib asked.

"Yeah, it was," Shay pulled his hat down over his eyes.

"Also, Mary said you were like her sister. Should I be concerned about this?" Garry asked.

"Huh? That confused you? You really though I was a..." Shay convulsed into giggles.

"What's so funny?" Garry demanded.

"You didn't know I was a girl?" Shay asked, still laughing.

"All along we thought you were a boy and you didn't correct us at all, not even once, but more importantly: Mary, you knew the whole time and you didn't correct us either!?" Garry was shouting now.

"It's not like I kept it a secret..." Mary defended herself.

"Shay, could you take off your hat, please?" Ib asked.

"Why? You already know I'm a girl," Shay said.

"Just do it."

"Okay," Shay replied. She pulled off her hat and black curls tumbled out falling to around her mid-back. "See."

"That might explain why Mary was supposed to be your twin. You two both have the same hair, though Shay's is thicker and darker," Ib said totally and completely awe-struck. "Also, Shay is flat."

"Thank you, Ib. I wasn't aware of that," Shay said blankly. "Now that we have that straightened out; Garry, it's your turn."

Garry went pale and hesitated going into the door as much as possible. Shay, Ib, and Mary exchanged glances and pushed Garry to the door. "Okay, okay. I'm going. I'm going!" Gary yelled out of fear and desperation. Not one of them believed Garry for a second. Ib thrust open the door and Shay and Mary shoved him inside. The rest of them followed him inside.

As it had done before the room flashed and soon they were standing in Garry's memory. They were in an almost abandoned classroom. Garry was easy enough to spot, he was the only one with wild purple hair. He had to be in middle school, at least that was the uniform he was wearing. He sat in the corner of the room surrounded by friends of his. Or that was what they assumed since they were all laughing together.

"So... are you going to go or are you too chicken?" One of the guys asked. Garry looked indignant and gave an impish grin.

"Of course I'm going. There isn't anything that I can't do!" He announced proudly.

"This can't be Garry... he's way too big of a chicken and this kid is asking for danger!" Shay proclaimed, crossing her arms. Then she realized her hat was still off, she balled up her hair and placed it back in her hat. Normal Shay once again she simply gave a not-very-feminine huff. Ib was staring at her. "What!?"

"Nothing, I just can't believe you're actually a girl," Ib said.

"Well I am! What I can't wear shorts and cuss 'cause I happen to be a girl?" Shay asked incredulously.

"Never mind. Let's see what happened on the worst day of Garry's life," Ib said bluntly.

"Okay then, we'll all meet up there later tonight," the same boy said. They all nodded. Ib counted; there were three guys and two girls not including Garry. The memory flashed. They were across the street in a beachy area from a dark cave. The ocean could be heard in the background.

They went inside, the trio followed him. It was dark and they were holding candles. The group came to a fork in the road. They split up and Garry ended up alone with one girl. She happened to have long chocolate-colored hair. And she was just so incredibly jumpy. She was screaming a lot. Garry came up to her.

"You know it's a lot less scary when there's more than one person, right?" He asked her, offering his hand.

"Uhh... yeah. I guess," She smiled shyly, taking his hand.

"So the worst day of Garry's life is him going on a date?" Shay asked.

"Something might happen, just watch," Ib said.

Suddenly Garry's flashlight went out and a noise was heard from farther in the cave.

"Let's go home," She said, terrified.

"I'd love to but I kind of can't see two feet in front of me," Garry stated, equally terrified. They backed up a few steps as the sound got louder. Garry slapped the flashlight against his palm, hoping for a spark of light.

It sparked and revealed a horde of bats flying straight for the two of them. They both screamed and ran in the direction of the cave opening. But the bats overtook them, to the point where the trio could only identify them by their different screams.

"Okay, I can see how this would make someone like Garry as much of a scaredy-cat as he is," Shay commented. They were also overtaken by bats but it was a lot less scary since they were transparent and the bats flew right through them.

They ran outside the cave and into the street without seeing it. Garry made it across just fine, but the girl...

There was a sound and when the bats cleared the girl was lying in the middle of the road. She was still breathing, but Garry was mortified. The memory faded out and Garry was staring at the wall, his eyes were empty.

"I will never call you a scaredy-cat ever again," Shay said solemnly.

"Garry, who was that girl?" Ib asked. She sounded reproachful but curious.

"She... was my first love." Garry replied.

"What happened to her?" Shay asked. "I mean, she was okay, right?"

Gary took a deep, shaky breath. "She died in the hospital."

"Oh." It was silent for a little while.

"We should move on," Garry said. "Let's go." They pressed through the door which led to another area and, thankfully, not another part of the maze. "Do you think we could just take a little break?" Garry asked. No one felt like saying no to him, knowing how fragile Garry was. So they simply sat wallowing in the memories they had been forced to re-live.

**Horrendous chapter ending, I know. I'm really cruel when it comes to back stories. Also, Shay's a girl! I'vee been planning that since chapter 1! Hopefully none of you are crying or hate me since I'm evil, cuz I know some people get emotional with stories. Frankly, I can get really emotional when it comes to stories too. Not mine though, apparently. I'm really sorry about the late update and here is some character development for you. *cough*TryHardDreamer*cough* Review if you're feeling up to it. **


	10. HIATUS, please read, don't ignore please

**My computer is totally broken and I am currently unable to work on any projects right now. So all of my stories are pretty much going on hiatus until I get a new battery for my computer until then, and so you guys know I am alive, I may put up the occasional one-shot and an update here and there. I can only work when I get my parents' computer so I can't really do any new chappies right now. My DSI is the only thing allowing me any contact as it lets me respond to messages on here, thank the gods, but I can't write on it unfortunately and finishing something in a notebook doesn't make the story update. It just gives me less work for when I can type. One-shots are about all I'll be good for, for a while anyway. I'm almost done with the newest Chapter for Apprentice so that will likely be my last update for a while... if I can even get it up. As of now, it's broken and I'll never get to work on anything. I'll go (more) crazy thinking of late updates! So when I do get the computer I'll probably be writing one-shots. Or if I feel like it, working on chapter updates. All I'm saying is it's going to be a while before I can update on a regular schedule again. Sorry for any and all inconvenience and thank you to the kind understanding souls I'm going to assume all of you are, as I don't know all of you in person and while I would like to I can't and would hate to make someone out for what they are not. (some friends of mine prefer being evil so I don't want to offend anyone)**

**Mei, April, Star, and Blair are my OC's, everyone else I do not own. I disclaim them, take no credit whatsoever. They are not mine. Also, this authors note has been posted on all of my stories currently in progress. And that is why there are descriptions. Which means, even if I have not updated in a long while I fully plan on writing more. This statement does not apply to all but it does to some.**

**Kisshu and Ichigo are from Tokyo Mew Mew, Jareth and Sarah are from the movie Labyrinth, Silver and Blaze are from Sonic the Hedgehog, Ib is from... Ib, Viola and Ellen are from The Witch's House, Lum and Ataru are from Urusei Yatsura. No characters from the capital's stories are here but that should be apparent why by the end. I think I hit everybunny, I'm okay now. **

**April - 12-year-old (or quite possibly 13; I can't remember which is sad) cyniclon with jet black hair cut to a quarter of her back with strands tied in front of her ears (like her brother's) and gold eyes. Kisshu's little sister. **

**Mei - Shoulder length milk chocolate-colored hair, electric blue eyes. Medium build. 15 years old. **

**Star - 13-year-old. Pale skinned with light blue eyes and almost white, blonde-hair. A powder blue tatoo of a star is on her right cheek. Blair's younger sister. **

**Blair - 17-year-old tan skinned with ebony-black hair and incredibly dark, almost black but not quite, brown eyes. Star's older sister. **

The door burst open and, suddenly, they were standing in a overly strange and kind of out-of-place room.

With white-washed walls decorated with posters and drawings, plushies and books littering the floor and a window with the curtains drawn shut it looked very much like it would soon be hosting someone but was currently abandoned.

In a chair behind a desk with a computer on it sat a small girl who could have been no older than fifteen at the least, with long dirty-blonde curls hastily tucked into a ponytail and light peridot green eyes bordering on crazy and intelligent. She had her nose stuck in a book. She wore a red T-shirt with faded white lettering on it and a pair of navy capris'.

When she heard the door close she stuck a piece of paper in it and shut it. Without even looking up she smiled warmly, as though she had been expecting these people.

What people? You may be asking. Why Ib, Viola (in Ellen's body), Sarah and Jareth, Mei, Ichigo, Kisshu, and April, Lum, Ataru, Silver and Blaze, and, of course, Star and Blair stood in the room. The strange girl peered up at them she smiled but they all had grim faces.

"We've got a bone to pick with you," Blair started through gritted teeth.

"Hiya guys!" The girl said happily, as if she hadn't heard Blair. At all.

"What's all this nonsense about our stories going on hiatus?" Ichigo asked, shaking her fist in the air angrily.

"Oh, that," the smile dropped from her face and her eyes darted to the desktop computer. "This stupid thing won't turn on. But when it does it isn't long until it re-starts or shuts back off."

"So we're all here because your computer doesn't want to turn on," Silver said dryly.

The girl smiled shyly. "Yep. It's not that the poor baby doesn't want to. It can't. The battery's gone dry and it needs a new one."

"So give it a new one, already! I've been kidnapped for how long now and I'm still unconscious?" Mei said angrily, her bottom lip jutted out though a slight smile played at her lips.

"I can't," she said lamely.

"Why?" Mei whined.

"Because, a) I have no idea what battery I need, b) I have to take it apart to find out, c) I don't want someone to wipe all of my data off of it when the battery is the problem and not the hard drive, and d) it's gonna be expensive and I don't have the money yet," She explained.

"Well at least tell us who you are," Kisshu asked.

"Me? I'm the authoress of your stories. You may call me Tokyo," said the girl.

"Um...okay? So how long until you can update again?" Ichigo asked.

"Uh... not sure," Tokyo admitted, she scratched her head trying to think. All of their faces fell.

"Wait just a damn second! How the heck are you writing this if you computer won't turn on!?" Mei demanded. Several of the characters nodded in agreement.

"It's elementary, my dear. You see, I borrowed my parents computer to write this so I could inform all of the followers what was going on rather than make them wait the amount of time it might take to fix this. Plus, I have quite a bit of summer homework and not a lot of time to write anyway. So it's going to be very hard for me to update and I have decided to try and fix and finish what's almost done and/or hasn't been published yet. Combine that with I never know when I'll get on a working computer and I don't know for how long and you have my reasoning for not being able to update," Tokyo stated matter-of-fact.

"Oh," the characters said in unison.

"Plus, if I don't get it before summer ends I'll end up piled in so much work from honors classes that I'll never get anything up," Tokyo was the one whining now.

"Awww..." They whined in protest.

"Oh, shut up. I will be trying to update it's just not going to happen on a regular schedule or very often until I get everything sorted out," Tokyo sighed. "I'm sorry everybody. I really am as I love, love, LOVE, to write. But as it stands I cannot write now so I will have to put all of my stories on hiatus and give you all my most sincere and formal apologies. I will not be disappearing and I'll be updating from time to time. But I will probably be putting up a lot of new stories that aren't really new as I've had them for a long time, just never finished or edited them. Since I can't really work on anything I will be using whatever time I get to ease my guilt and finish or re-write or edit them. On the list of stories to re-write is actually A Fairytale Waiting to Happen." At this point Sarah and Jareth's jaws dropped to the floor. "Not sure how far I'll get with that though... or if I'll even go through with it. I'll admit that I am also a procrastinator and can be pretty damn lazy but I get busy too. So I really hope," Tokyo bowed her head and quickly got back up. "That all of you can be patient and forgive me. I would also like to apologize from the deepest part of my heart for any of you who got your hopes up when you saw an update and found this. Thank you all for dealing with me and for even reading this. Also, I am very, very sorry."


End file.
